By Edward Epstein
Washington, D.C.
April 8, 2024
The path of totality for today's total eclipse of the sun will pass not too far south of Urbana, Illinois, and Abraham Lincoln is all set for safe viewing of the much-anticipated event.
This seated statue of Lincoln has his special eclipse viewing glasses on his head. The glasses will prevent the 16th president from damaging his eyes by blocking out harmful ultra-violet rats, infrared light and intense visible light.
This folksy Lincoln statue resides just outside the front doors of the Alice Campbell Alumni Center on the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University of Illinois. Lincoln is much at home in Urbana, where he argued cases as a circuit-riding lawyer. The county courthouse in downtown Urbana has a small Lincoln museum.
Lincoln had a life-long fascination with astronomy, part of his broader interest in science. You can read more about Lincoln and the stars and meteors and eclipses and comets by reading a Lincolnian blog post from 2022 at : https://www.lincolnian.org/post/abraham-lincoln-s-interest-in-astronomy.
Photo from the University of Illinois Alumni Association.