"The best college towns have a mix of small-city charm and a worldly, cultural vibe.
Chicago Tribune
The Backstage Blog
Head Backstage to be in the know.
We want to take you behind the scenes, to give you insider information you won't find anywhere else. This is where we pull Bloomington's hip happenings together with recommendations from our team, first-hand accounts from project producers, and guest blogs by local gurus. The Backstage Blog helps you stay in front of it all.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun with the sky darkening as if it were dawn or dusk. Solar eclipses do occur every year at various locations on Earth, but they are considered a rare sight because they are only visible from a very narrow path. Total solar eclipses are rarer because their viewing area is even smaller. You can read more about the science of eclipses at NASA's solar system website.
When is it?
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will occur over North America, traveling across the United States from Texas to Maine. Bloomington, Indiana is directly in the center of the path of totality and will be one of the best viewing eclipse locations in the world. The duration of totality in Bloomington will be approximately four minutes and two seconds, beginning around 3:04 PM EST. This means the sun will become almost completely dark for this brief duration in the middle of the day.
A total solar eclipse was last visible in the mainland United States in August 2017 and prior to that it was February 1979. On average it can take nearly 400 years for a total solar eclipse to happen again at the same location. The last time a total solar eclipse took place in Bloomington, Indiana was 1869 and you can read more about that in this fascinating Indiana University and solar eclipses story.
What do we expect to happen in Monroe County?
Based upon our location directly in the center of the path of totality and the number of people who traveled to see the 2017 total solar eclipse, we are preparing for more than 100,000 visitors to come to the Bloomington area to experience the eclipse. These visitors will arrive in the area up to a few days before the event and they will most likely leave the area directly after it. Retail shops, grocery stores, restaurants, lodging facilities, gas stations, and all types of businesses will be extremely busy and public services and safety need to be ready for the large crowds.
The eclipse takes place on a Monday -- is your business planning to be open that day?
Most area schools will be closed on Monday, April 8 because of the eclipse. Please be sure to notify your customers of your business plans well in advance. If you are planning any special eclipse restaurant menu items or eclipse promotions, please e-mail that information to Teal Strabbing and we will share that information if appropriate. You can enter promotional information on our website anytime here in our special offers section.
Comments