You might have heard there will be a partial solar eclipse this Thursday afternoon (Oct. 23). DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN during the eclipse or any other time, unless you take proper safety precautions — otherwise you risk serious, permanent eye damage, warns David Takemoto-Weerts.

The TAPS Bicycle Program coordinator is happy to help. He will set up a telescope equipped for safe viewing of the sun, and invites the campus community to come by to take a look as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. He will set up the telescope in front of the Transportation and Parking Services Building, just north of the west entry paraking garage, fronting on Hutchison Field.

Takemoto-Weerts is a “space geek” (self-acknowledged) and JPL Solar System Ambassador; he and other ambassadors, enlisted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, host public outreach programs about NASA’s space exploration missions, and general astronomy and aerospace topics.

Thursday’s eclipse will not be visible as a total eclipse anywhere on the planet. From our vantage point, about 40 percent of the sun’s disc will be obscured. The moon will first encroach on the sun at about 1:38 p.m.; maximum coverage will be at 3:16 p.m. and the partial eclipse will end at 4:32 p.m.

Besides having the opportunity to watch through the telescope, people will be given free solar viewing glasses while supplies last, courtesy of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Infographic on safe solar viewing.

Quarter Century Club welcomes 237 new members

The UC Davis Quarter Century Club celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, with 237 new members — staff and faculty who hit the 25-year mark in their university employment in the last year — and 64 others who hit the 50-year mark.

All are being honored at this year’s Quarter Century Club annual meeting and dinner, scheduled for Thursday (Oct. 23).

The honorees: 25-year members and 50-year members. (PDF)

“I encourage all new members to join us for a social evening dedicated to welcoming you, to renewing acquaintances, and chatting with long-time friends,” said Cindy Dupree Thompson, the Quarter Century Club’s 2014 president. “We’ve planned an entertaining program and will be giving out some great prizes.” 

This year’s event is being held in Sacramento — a change from having the dinners in Davis. From now on, organizers said, the dinner will alternate between Sacramento and Davis, acknowledging the many Quarter Century Club members whose affiliation is with the UC Davis Health System and who may live in Sacramento or closer to Sacramento than Davis.

This year's dinner will be held at The Center at Twenty-Three Hundred, 2300 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento. Parking is free; complimentary bus transportation will be provided to and from the Davis campus. If your invitation has not arrived, contact Jean Wigglesworth at UC Davis Ceremonies and Special Events, by phone, (530) 754-2011, or email.

Friday deadline for Repro's great calendar giveaway!

It's the great, customized calendar giveaway once again — courtesy of Repro Graphics — but you need to order by this Friday (Oct. 24).

You get to choose your calendar's campus-themed image and you can highlight up to four dates per month — whatever dates you want, say, your children’s birthdays, university holidays or National Pet Day (April 11).

The calendars are for all university employees and students — one per Kerberos ID, by way of this online ordering system.

The customization demonstrates the variable data capability of Repro Graphics’ HP Indigo 5500 digital color press. (Repro also wants you to know it can produce custom calendars for your university unit starting at just $1 each

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.