Ralph Chou

Abstract

All major population centres in Eastern Canada were to experience either total or deep partial eclipse in mid- to late afternoon on 2024 April 8. It was expected that many people would travel into the path of totality for the eclipse. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada set up a Solar Eclipse Task Force to coordinate preparations by the hospitality and tourism industry, roads and traffic control and emergency services as well as education and health care organizations.  An eye safety campaign addressed concerns for the safety of students with the eclipse occurring at or just after the end of the school day. This presentation describes how these diverse needs were addressed, and some of the unexpected events that occurred in the weeks before the solar eclipse.

Bio

B. Ralph Chou is an expert on solar eclipse eye safety and spectacle lens impact resistance. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Optometry, Chair of the Technical Committee on Eye and Face Protection of the Canadian Standards Association and Canada’s head of delegation to the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Subcommittees on Eye Protection and Ophthalmic Optics. He was lead writer of the ISO standard for solar eclipse filters. He was President of the Science Teachers’ Association of Ontario in 2015-2016. An active amateur astronomer for over 50 years, he was President of the Toronto Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for 12 years and is now Director of its E.C. Carr Astronomical Observatory. In November 2022, the asteroid 1986 QS1 was named 10491 Chou in recognition of his contributions to solar eclipse eye safety around the world and to the Canadian astronomical community.