Mar 29, 2024 Update

Tickets for the Eclipse Experience have sold out. We encourage interested guests to visit the main SUNY Oswego campus to enjoy their eclipse-related activities.

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The Rice Creek Observatory, in partnership with the Syracuse Astronomical Society, is opening its doors to the public for the total solar eclipse — a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Students, faculty, and staff are also welcome. Oswego lies near the center of the path of totality, providing visitors with a long totality experience (when the sun's light is completely blocked) of 3 minutes and 27 seconds. Can't attend in person? Check out our telescope live stream on April 8! Multi-telescope Stream | Single-telescope Stream

Event Overview

Rice Creek is offering a limited number of low-cost tickets to this exciting event (available through the University Box Office), where you can spend the day here and enjoy:

• Observing the details of the sun through telescopes — before, during, and after the eclipse. Have you ever seen the sun through a telescope? With seven telescopes in use, including projections to screens, you'll have excellent opportunities to view details on the surface of the sun including sun spots and solar flares. For the 2.5 hours of the eclipse, organizers will closely monitor the moon's progress as it moves between the Earth and the sun. 
• Expert guidance during the eclipse. Staff will announce the start of each phase, explain what is happening, and advise viewers when totality has begun and it is safe to remove eclipse glasses. Many fascinating parts of a solar eclipse occur just for brief moments and could be easily missed. Staff will help bring these moments to life for visitors. 
• A complimentary pair of eclipse glasses — which meet the ISO 12312-2 safety standard and are made in the USA. The vendor is eclipse2024.org, a company that is listed on the "safe suppliers" list of the American Astronomical Society. *Because SUNY Oswego students, faculty, and staff are eligible for a free pair of eclipse glasses through the campus box office, these ticket types will not include a pair of glasses. Family and friends who are not affiliated with SUNY Oswego can still get complimentary glasses with their Rice Creek ticket.
• Attending live-streamed talks from world-famous astronomers. Rice Creek is an official live-stream venue for these SUNY Oswego-hosted talks that have limited in-person seating. Talks begin at 9 am and conclude at 1 pm, and feature speakers Dr. Sarbani Basu and Dr. Earl Bellinger (both from Yale University), Dr. Martin Hendry (University of Glasgow), and Dr. Anil Pradhan (Ohio State University). Dr. Lyn Blanchfield, a historian at SUNY Oswego, will also be giving a talk about "Eclipses in ancient civilizations." These talks are sponsored by the Shineman Endowed Fund.
• Attending live-streamed planetarium shows. Similarly, the campus is an official live-stream venue for SUNY Oswego's eclipse planetarium shows, which have limited seating. Join Dr. Natalia Lewandowska and her students in engaging and visually rich shows explaining the science behind the day's eclipse. Catch shows between 11 am and 3 pm.
• A kids' station with STEAM activities and arts and crafts. Also good for those young at heart! Join educators as participants make custom pinhole viewers, "half plate" solar viewers to hold children's glasses in place, eclipse chalk art, solar prints, and more.
• Outdoor exploration of Rice Creek's gardens, grounds, and five miles of trails. Spring is a wonderful time to see rare woodland wildflowers, resident and migratory birds, and other animals becoming more active like frogs and turtles. Bring your rain boots as spring trails are often muddy! Or, stay inside and enjoy watching the many visitors to Rice Creek's birdfeeders.
• Custom eclipse swag to commemorate your experience. Pre-order "swag bundles" that include an engraved vacuum-insulated camping mug, a carabiner, and a vinyl sticker. The mugs can be used to reduce waste at the event. They are durable and provide a great memento of the day's experience.
• A commemorative photo station. Snap a photo with our custom event frame to remember this milestone event!

Event Notes & FAQs

• How do I get tickets? Tickets are sold out! Please see our event webpage if you are interested in being a walk-in guest.
• What if it's cloudy? Although organizers remain hopeful for clear or partially clear weather, there are no guarantees. Organizers hope you will join our event regardless. Together, all can witness the landscape dramatically darken during totality, and Rice Creek will bring the eclipse to you by streaming videos from clear viewing locations on big screens. With crafts and STEAM activities, food and streamed lectures, and streamed planetarium shows, it will still be a memorable day.
• Are dogs allowed? Due to the size and nature of this event, dogs (and all pets) are not allowed inside or in the vicinity of the building. The only exception is for service animals on a short leash.
• Will there be food provided? Yes! XO Taco's food truck will be offering fresh soft tacos, quesadillas, and nachos.
• Is WiFi available at Rice Creek? WiFi will not be available during the eclipse due to streaming from telescopes. Most cellular data providers have service at Rice Creek, but a few do not. Check your provider's coverage map if you are concerned. Rest assured that the landline telephones will remain in operation at Rice Creek should anyone have an urgent need to make a phone call. A dedicated officer from the SUNY Oswego University Police staff will be at the event in case of any emergency. 
• What should I bring? Bring your tickets and parking pass. Organizers also encourage you to bring warm layers, lawn chairs, a reusable water bottle, a hat, and sunscreen. If you plan to walk the trails, you may want insect repellent as a tick prevention measure. If you have binoculars or a camera, you may want to bring these to use during totality. These cannot be safely used at any other time, even through eclipse glasses. Families with children are encouraged to bring books, games, and coloring books to keep little ones occupied while waiting. 
• What shouldn't I bring? Use of tobacco products is prohibited on SUNY Oswego property, including the use of vaping products. Please also avoid bringing alcohol, drugs, fire pits, grills, or weapons. Organizers also ask guests to avoid bringing speakers or playing music, as they will be recording natural sounds before, during, and after the eclipse to study how wildlife respond.
• Where can I learn more? Check out our event website!

Contact & Questions

Rice Creek Field Station is located at 193 Thompson Road in Oswego, located 3.4 miles southwest of downtown Oswego, 1.5 miles south of SUNY Oswego's main campus, and 50 minutes north of Syracuse.

For questions, including individuals with disabilities seeking accommodations, please contact Rice Creek at 315.312.6677 or rcfs@oswego.edu.

About Rice Creek Field Station

Rice Creek Field Station, a unit of SUNY Oswego, is dedicated to the support of academic instruction, research, and public service, especially the natural sciences and environmental education. The observatory, established at Rice Creek in 2013, is operated by the Department of Physics, it has served as a hub for public outreach in astronomy.