EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – The path of totality for the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse will pass through the heart of the Tri-State. The City of Evansville continues to make plans for events in the days leading up to the eclipse in preparation of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of visitors traveling to the River City.
“The world will be mesmerized by a solar eclipse,” says Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. “And Evansville, the greater Evansville region, will have a rare opportunity to have one of the greatest experiences of anyone, any location, in our country or around the world.”
Dr. Jeffrey Bennett, an astrophysicist from Colorado, describes eclipses as an experience of a lifetime.
“I’ve known lots, millions of people, who have seen eclipses and I don’t think there’s a single one them who would ever say that wasn’t one of the most incredible things I’ve seen in my life,” says Dr. Bennett.
City officials also believe the eclipse will offer a hands-on learning experience. Dr. Bennett gives a preview of what to expect in the path of totality.
“You’ll slowly see the moon taking that bite out of the sun,” explains Dr. Bennett. “And as we get close to totality, the lighting will start to change in really dramatic ways, the temperature will drop, and you’ll see the sun’s atmosphere, the corona, around it. You’ll see stars and planets.”
Dr. Bennett encourages those in the Tri-State to go to an area with at least one minute of totality to experience the full effect of the eclipse. He explains that a longer duration will give your eyes more time to adjust to darkness, allowing viewers to see the totality clearer. Dr. Bennett also says those in the area of a partial eclipse should travel to the path of totality if possible, describing the difference between 99.9% totality and 100% totality as “night and day.”
