HR0136 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be
3visible from the west coast to the east coast of the
4continental United States; and
 
5    WHEREAS, This will be the first total solar eclipse visible
6in the continental U.S. since February 26, 1979, over 37 years
7ago; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The extent of the eclipse across the U.S. will
9provide a new generation with the opportunity to view this
10amazing and exciting celestial event, when the sky grows dark
11and the Sun's corona (the usually unseen "crown" around the
12Sun) shines as bright as the full Moon; Mercury, Venus, Mars,
13Jupiter, and several bright stars become visible, the
14temperature drops, and animals become eerily quiet; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The entire great State of Illinois will experience
16at least a partial eclipse, with at least 85% of the Sun's disk
17blocked by the Moon, so that Illinoisans unable to experience
18totality can still observe evidence of this event; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The 2017 solar eclipse will likely be seen by more
20people than any other eclipse in history; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Department of
2Astronomy, the only public astronomy department in the State,
3is a leading institution in the study of gravitational lensing,
4predicted by Albert Einstein and first observed during a total
5solar eclipse in 1919, thereby confirming Einstein's Theory of
6General Relativity; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The year 2017 will mark the sesquicentennial
8anniversary of the founding of the University of Illinois in
91867; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The University of Illinois Department of
11Astronomy is hosting an eclipse viewing event in partnership
12with the Village of Goreville, one of the closest towns to the
13greatest duration; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Southern Illinois University Department of
15Physics is hosting an eclipse viewing event in Carbondale; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Many other communities along the path of the total
17solar eclipse will be hosting events for Illinoisans, and
18out-of-state visitors, both domestic and international; and
 
19    WHEREAS, In 2024, another total solar eclipse will be
20visible from Southern Illinois; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
2HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3recognize Southern Illinois as the best place on Earth to view
4the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, and prepare for the
52024 eclipse, and we commend the University of Illinois
6Department of Astronomy for their research and for preparing
7the people of Illinois for this historic event; and be it
8further
 
9    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10presented to the University of Illinois Department of
11Astronomy, the Southern Illinois University Department of
12Physics, and the Astronomical Association of Southern
13Illinois.