A truly monumental moment when the Moon slyly moves between the Sun and the Earth; a total Solar Eclipse. A moment when the whole world goes black.
When?:
On April 8th for the first time since August 21st, 2017 the Moon will play hide and seek with the Sun and the Earth. In the U.S. the path of pure totality will begin in Texas at roughly 1:27 CT and will end at 3:34 EDT in Maine.
For Hoosiers, this event is going to be a phenomenal sight. It will visit Indiana approximately at 3:01 pm EDT and swiftly end 11 minutes later at 3:12 EDT.
The optimal locations, in Indiana, are Bloomington, Terre Haute, Evansville, and the metropolitan district of Indianapolis- the locations each only have three minutes of totality.
If you’re on the road various highways located in Indianapolis also get to see the grand event. These include 65 to the northwest, 70 to the east and west, 74 southeast, and 69 to the southwest.
The next Total Solar Eclipse isn’t taking place until August 23, 2044, so take advantage of the upcoming event!
“I called around to a couple of state parks to plan ahead and the city of Anderson stated they are expecting 50,000 visitors to watch the eclipse,” said astronomy teacher Scott Raypole, “So if you’re going, get there early and wait!”
How to watch:
The slim hour that the Eclipse is visible will be incredible, but so is your eyesight. Though the event is astonishing it could cause, “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns. The damage could be temporary or permanent, but the recipient wouldn’t feel pain- so be careful.
A way to experience the beauty, but still keep your eyesight is pretty straightforward; wearing Eclipse glasses. They essentially filter the direct view of the sun, making it fun and stylish to watch the Eclipse.
Fun fact:
Though the whole event is amazing, Raypole describes a hidden “gem” that could make it even more enjoyable. “One fun fact is the diamond ring. Right before the moon covers up the photosphere of the Sun you can see a ring around the moon except for one small part that looks like a diamond, hence the diamond ring.”
