Marking the Passage of Time
Spectators will gather this week to witness an event that has been recorded for thousands of years. On Wednesday, September 23, Austin College faculty, staff, students, and guests will gather on campus in the IDEA Center, home of the natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science. The IDEA Center’s solar observatory, which marks the position of the sun on the floor of the building, will highlight the arrival of the Autumnal Equinox in Sherman as the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky. Members of the community are invited to the free event, which begins at 1:00 p.m. in the Oscar Page Atrium of the IDEA Center.
Dr. David Baker, Chair of Physics Department and Director of the Adams Observatory, will explain the significance of the equinox as it occurs. A beam of sunlight will pass through a gnomon hole in the roof and move across the atrium floor. At local noon (actually 1:18 p.m.), the Sun’s image will align with the equinox marker, the Chinese symbol of the Sun.
“I believe this event gives students and the larger community a sense of scientific progress and the passage of time,” said Dr. Baker. “We normally don’t pay attention to how quickly the Earth rotates in our everyday lives.” Watching the sunbeam arrive at the equinox marker is a special yet fleeting moment. “Within a split second, sunlight hits the equinox marker perfectly,” he said. “It’s mesmerizing, almost magical. And then the Sun marches on.”
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.