Dudley Astronomer Siena College/Dudley Observatory Ballston Spa, New York, United States
Abstract: For many people, the 2024 solar eclipse is a singular moment. Most of North America won't see anything like it again until the 2040s. This gave informal astronomy educators an outstanding chance to engage in public astronomy. While these charismatic astronomical events don't happen often, the experience of watching non-astronomers engage with astronomical phenomena gives qualitative insights into how to make the astronomy of every day exciting and what tools we as educators need to make that happen.
