The teacher Frédéric Bénichou is a real astronomy enthusiast. The solar eclipse that will take place on April 8 in the skies of Quebec is an opportunity for him to convey his enthusiasm to the students of Manicouagan and the Haute-Côte-Nord.
The teacher from Serge Bouchard High School in Baie-Comeau will visit schools that request it in the coming weeks to meet with classes preparing for the solar eclipse.
Visibly enthusiastic about the project, Mr. Bénichou will meet primary school teachers who are more generalists and perhaps less specialized in science and astronomy, to explain to them the phenomenon and the safe way to live this experience, which he describes as “unique”.
“This is an opportunity to study science for free, because astronomy is what appeals most to young people, even if it is rarely covered in the science curriculum,” emphasizes Frédéric Bénichou, for whom the solar eclipse of April 8 applies , even if this will not be the case in our region as a whole, represents an experience for students.
Frédéric Bénichou claims that since the eclipse will be partial, people in the region will notice a very noticeable decrease in brightness and around 3:30 p.m. only a crescent of the sun will remain.
“The brightness will then be comparable to the brightness if it were 6 p.m.,” explains the teacher, recalling that it is very important to wear appropriate protective glasses when observing the solar eclipse, as they filter 100% of ultraviolet rays.
He is also the one who encouraged the management of the Estuaire School Service Center to wear safety glasses to make this event a unique moment for the students.
Having already experienced a similar solar eclipse in France in 1999, Frédéric Bénichou affirms that the experience is truly extraordinary, while the natural phenomenon that occurs makes us feel for a brief moment as if it were the middle of the night, particularly grateful for the sounds and the temperature that change temporarily.
Those who are members of various astronomy clubs and are in touch with amateur astronomers from all over the world can expect a large crowd in the corridor focused on the total solar eclipse. According to him, people have been waiting and preparing for this moment for several years, and they will come in large numbers from the United States and other countries around the world to witness the phenomenon.
Information for parents and staff
The Estuaire School Service Center has sent letters to parents and staff reminding them of safety instructions. In particular, he invites parents whose children walk between school and home to pick up their child from school at the end of classes on April 8th.
Although the solar eclipse will be discussed in detail at school, CSS management also recommends parents talk to their child about safety precautions.
Several websites may be helpful in obtaining effective information about the April 8 solar eclipse, including those from the Canadian Space Agency, Eclipse Quebec and the Government of Quebec.