BLOOMINGTON, Indiana — Two years from now, a massive chunk of Indiana will experience a total solar eclipse.
Already, cities within the path of totality are planning for the flood of visitors expected to pour in as people come to witness this once in a lifetime event.
"We are really going to make this a fun event," said Erin White, director of leisure marketing at Visit Bloomington.
The countdown is on to the next total solar eclipse and the folks at Visit Bloomington are already planning.
"We've been actively preparing for the 2024 eclipse since last summer," White said.
Visit Bloomington is a part of an Indiana University planning committee, working with university researchers, astronomers, together with city and county leaders to make sure they find the best viewing spot for the thousands of visitors they expect to see and create fun activities for them to do when they're in town.
Already, there's a demand.
"Since we've already had visitors contacting us, asking us about hotel rooms and activities and events surrounding the total eclipse event that's going to be happening in Bloomington," White said. "We knew it was a big deal and there were going to be a lot of visitors anxious for information early, so we wanted to get as much of a head start as possible."
"We started a couple of years ago," said Caty Pilachowski, chair of the Department of Astronomy at Indiana University-Bloomington. "Astronomers at institutions along the path of totality have been really helpful on what they did in 2017, what they wished they'd done."
"Apparently towns along the eclipse path triple in population, so we want to be able to welcome people, let them have a good time," Pilachowski said.
With the previous total solar eclipse from 2017 just a few years back, many institutions have been willing to help. She said they're working on their plans for the solar eclipse years ahead of time so they're ready for the crowds, the big day and making sure everything runs smoothly so people can relax and enjoy the eclipse when it begins.
“A total solar eclipse is almost a life-changing experience," Pilachowski said.
"This is the first total solar eclipse coming over Indianapolis in 819 years. So that's why this is a special event," said Brian Murphy, director of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium at Butler University.
In Bloomington, they'll get a little over four minutes of totality. In Indianapolis, for three minutes and 49 seconds the sun will be fully blocked by the moon.
"Pictures do not do it justice at all. Seeing it live, seeing it happen, seeing the sun disappear, seeing the corona of the sun suddenly appear with this black dark spot in the middle is absolutely amazing," Murphy said.
And most Hoosiers won't have to travel to get into the path of totality. But if you're outside that path, Murphy said plan to get there.
“You know, I really don’t want to hear people, say, who are just north of Kokomo who are just outside that line of totality to say, ‘Well it’s going to be 99 percent eclipse here, what’s one percent?’ Like I said, it's zero percent of totality, which is the most spectacular astronomical event anyone can see. I can literally say that as an astronomer," Murphy said. "It’s the most striking astronomical event you’ll ever see in your life."
So even two years out to the big day, Murphy said start planning where you want to watch the eclipse now and be ready to move in case of clouds. It's something you won't want to miss.
"See it," Murphy said. "If you have any chance to get to that path of totality, see the total eclipse."