On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will darken parts of the country for several minutes. Columbus residents and other Hoosiers throughout the state will have a front-row seat, so to speak, for this spectacular celestial event that will also likely attract hundreds of thousands of spectators from around the world. The partial eclipse will begin over Columbus at 1:50 p.m. and totality will be at 3:05 p.m. for approximately three minutes and 44 seconds.
The total solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean at around 11:07 a.m., engulfing Mexico’s pacific coast in total darkness. Weather permitting, the eclipse’s path will enter the United States through Texas, blanketing Okla-
homa, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine from all sunlight. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, according to science.nasa.gov
Along the center line of the zone of totality, darkness will last for approximately four minutes, and as you move farther away from the center line of that arc across the state, the timeframe and amount of darkness will drop. Check the DNR: Indiana’s 2024 Solar Eclipse website for the exact times the eclipse will cover your area and more, https://www.in.gov/dnr/places-to-go/ events/2024-solar-eclipse/
April 1 through 8 — Solar Eclipse at kidscommons. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., 309 Washington St. Enjoy various eclipse-related programming created for kids throughout the week. Visit: kidscommons.org/free-familyfun-time/
April 6 to 7 — Total Solarbration. Downtown Columbus. Hosted by the Columbus Downtown Merchants Association, featuring live entertainment, spacethemed movies at YES Cinema, a downtown scavenger hunt and more.
April 6 to 9 — Total Eclipse of the Hope. Downtown Hope. A three-day festival hosted by Main Street of Hope, featuring
art and science projects, games, live entertainment and food and merchandise vendors; local businesses will have extended hours for dining and shopping. Visit: mainstreetofhope.org/ for full schedule.
April 6 — Comic-Con: Eclipse and All Things Science Fiction. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Moravec Hall, 4475 Central Ave. Free and open to the public; eclipse and science fiction-themed event.
April 6 — Here Comes the Moon: An Eclipse guide in Totality. 4 to 5 p.m., YES Cinema, 328 Jackson St. A multimedia presentation spanning from eclipse basics to advanced topics given by Columbus native Maria Schwartzman Webb.
April 6 — Lunar Fest. 8 to 11 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m. and doors open at 7 p.m. White Diamond Lavender Farms, 9415 E. County Road 800 N., Hope. Enjoy tacos from TaColumbus, a drink from the White Diamond bar and live entertainment from Rusty Bladen and the Livin’ Daylights. Tickets: Presale, $10; day of, $15; table reservation and admission for eight, $120. Visit: whitediamondlavenderfarms.com/ event/pre-eclipse-concert-withrusty-bladen/
April 7 — Pre-Eclipse Party. Hotel Indigo, 400 Brown St. Hosted by Columbus Park Foundation and Hotel Indigo with food trucks, games, live music and more — local band Cottonpatch is headlining the event.
April 7 — Pre-Eclipse Huey Flights. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Columbus Municipal Airport Main Terminal, 4770 Ray Boll Blvd. Take a ride in the iconic Bell UH1 (HUEY) helicopter.
April 7 — Shelby Community Band: From the Earth to the Moon. 2 p.m., The Commons, Nugent-Custer Performance Hall, 300 Washington St. Celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse with a free spring concert “From the Earth to the Moon” that
will include medleys from “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “The Planets,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Van Morrison's “Moondance,” the music from “Doctor Who” and a special world premiere of Peter Felice's “Totality,” written to commemorate the first total solar eclipse in 800 years.
day of eclipse events
April 5 through 8 — Eclipse Watch Party at CERAland Park. Activities include music, a fireworks show and more. Vehicle entry fee: $10. Visit: ceraland.org/solareclipse for the full schedule of events and to reserve your campsite.
April 5 through 8 — Solar Eclipse at the Library. Bartholomew
County Public Library, 725 Seventh St. Visit: mybcpl.org/ events?r=days&n=30 for full programming schedule.
April 7 and 8 — great American Eclipse Solarbration. 450 North Brewing Company, 8111 E. 450 N. Includes food trucks, live music, special beer release and beer garden and will have both free parking and camping Visit: 450northbrewing.com/ for full schedule of events and to register for camping.
April 7 and 8 — Total Eclipse of the Parks 5ks. Lunar 5K; April 7 at 7 p.m., Solar 5K; April 8 at 9 a.m. Meet at Hotel Indigo to enjoy Lolly’s Pop, TaColumbus and BBQ & Bourbon food trucks after the
Lunar 5K on Sunday; return for the Solar 5K Monday morning and go to Hotel Indigo to enjoy the Bruncheria food truck. Visit: columbusparkfoundation.org/ total-eclipse-of-the-parks-5ks/ and register to participate by April 3.
April 8 — Eclipsing the Renaissance. Noon to 4:30 p.m., AirPark Columbus, 4444 Kelly St. Hosted by the Columbus Municipal Airport; enjoy a full afternoon of fun and excitement with performers, vendors and activities, featuring the Cincinnati Circus Fire Performers.
April 8 — Total Eclipse of the Farm. Noon to 5 p.m., Historic Henry Breeding Farm, 13730 N. 100 W., Edinburgh. Hosted by
Bartholomew County Historical Society and Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and includes makeand-take activities, Silly Safari with a variety of animals and traditional farm activities. Local brewer Hog Molly will have a special, celestial sparkling beer for sale alongside a number of food trucks.
April 8 — Totality in the gardens. 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., The Inn at Irwin Gardens, 608 Fifth St. View the eclipse from an iconic Columbus landmark; listen to live music from local Third Street Band and grab an eclipse-themed cocktail from the bar. Tickets required for entry, visit: irwingardens.com/ event-details-registration/ totality-in-the-gardens
The sun’s corona
The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will occur on August 23, 2044. After the Moon completely blocks the visible surface of the sun during an eclipse, viewers can remove their eclipse glasses; this is the only type of eclipse in which eclipse glasses can be momentarily removed.
When a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up thinking its nighttime, and nonnocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to go to sleep.
The sun’s corona (its outer atmosphere) becomes visible during an eclipse — it cannot otherwise be seen normally.
The excitement is building for the 2024 total solar eclipse, but when you look toward the sky, make sure you are not damaging your eyes. Failing to take proper precautions can result in severe and irreversible damage to one’s eyesight. Staring at the sun during an eclipse, even for a few seconds, can lead to a condition known as solar retinopathy, which can result in permanent vision impairment or blindness. Unlike the sun on a normal day, the eclipsed sun may appear less bright, making it tempting for some to glance at it without realizing the potential harm.
A total solar eclipse is a rare and grand spectacle of nature. By following simple precautions, you can experience it safely.
Do not look at the sun directly.*
12312-2:2015). But do not stare continuously at the sun. Take breaks and give your eyes a rest.
Use a box pinhole viewer.
Use a pinhole projector.
Use your hands to cast shadows on the ground. Cross your hands with fingers slightly spread to create a waffle pattern. Look down and you will see the spaces between your fingers project a shadow image of the sun in a crescent shape during the partial eclipse stages.
Look at shadows on the ground, such as beneath a leafy tree, during the partial eclipse to see the crescent sun shadows projected by the spaces between the leaves.
Do not view through regular sunglasses. No matter how dark they are, they will not protect your eyes.
Do not use damaged eclipse sunglasses or solar viewers. If they are torn, scratched or punctured, do not use them and throw them away. If the filters are coming out of their frames, discard them.
Do not use homemade filters.
Do not view through welder’s glass. The glass in most welding helmets is not strong enough.
Do not view through your camera viewfinder.
Do not view through a telescope without the proper solar filter. Do not view the telescope using your eclipse sunglasses either.
Do not view through binoculars.
For a trusted list of vendors selling safe, eclipse-viewing aids, visit the American Astronomical Society’s Suppliers of Safe Solar Filters & Viewers page.
Looking for glasses with a Hoosier flair? VisitIndiana.com will be offering “Total Eclipse IN INDIANA” pairs.
The total solar eclipse passing directly over Columbus will be an exciting event with organizations and individuals making all kinds of plans to celebrate and enjoy the phenomenon. But the potential of having 200,000 visitors also raises the question of security, major traffic increases and lots of extra people in town. Fortunately, for those of us who live here, both local and state entities are working hard to make sure Columbus is covered.
Locally, every Columbus police officer will be on duty on April 8 and on the weekend run-up when people will be traveling. Even detectives, who typically spend their time investigating criminal cases, will be in uniform and assigned responsibilities outside their normal duties.
“Our primary concern is the amount of traffic on the road and making sure that officers are assigned to different areas of the city, so they don’t have to travel across town to get to where they are needed,” said Lt. Matt Harris, public relations officer for the Columbus Police Department. “All it takes is someone sitting in traffic to run out of gas or have a medical emergency, and things get really backed
up. Getting to those folks can really be a challenge.”
He said that while most traffic will be on highways and Interstate 65, it wouldn’t take long for backups to spill onto local streets.
The daily possibility of crime is magnified with having so many extra people in town, Harris said, another reason why officers will be positioned throughout the city.
“We want to make sure that all of our resources aren’t in just one area,” he said.
Some of them will be on bicycles and ATVs to help getting around off the streets easier. The department has had several requests to hire off-duty officers for coverage of private events, but Harris has had to explain that they don’t have the manpower and need “all hands on deck” to keep the community safe.
Harris said his best advice for locals is to do errands and shop for groceries early — “like you would before a big storm.” He said not to leave home unnecessarily on the day of the eclipse because of the traffic congestion and delays caused by having so many extra people around.
“We’re as prepared as we can possibly be for them,” he said of the potential influx.
Meanwhile, over at the fire department, they’re making some plans of their own. They’ll be doubling their staff — from 28 firefighters to 56, thanks to off-duty firefighters volunteering their time — in anticipation of a potential increase of in-call volume.
“This staffing increase will allow us to staff additional firefighters at each station and additional apparatus throughout the city,” said Capt. Michael Wilson, the department’s public information officer. “Some of these people will staff a small number of ATVs that can be used in densely populated areas, such as our downtown, to aid in responding quickly in that environment.”
Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, public information officer for the Indiana State Police, also used the phrase “all hands on deck” in talking about the busy weekend. All troopers will be on duty and working that day — regular days off and vacation days are being canceled.
“With hundreds of thousands of people expected to visit the Hoosier state for the event, the focus of the Indiana State Police will be to patrol our interstates and main highways to ensure we keep everyone safe on Indiana highways,” Wheeles said.
The police and fire departments aren’t the only ones whose job is to protect the entire state and who have Columbus squarely in their sights. The expected population increases before, during and after the eclipse likely will result in extreme demands and stresses on local infrastructure and services, including local law enforcement, fire services, medical facilities, hotels, campsites, food, water, restaurants, fuel, utilities, entertainment facilities and parks.
“The eclipse will be a historic event affecting the entire state with all counties in the path of totality or in
the path of a partial solar eclipse,” said Mary Moran, director of Emergency Management Preparedness for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS). “Many state agencies, local officials and private-sector partners started planning efforts for the eclipse years ago. IDHS brings everyone to one table to make sure everyone is on the same page to identify major points of concern, planning priorities, mitigation guidance, etc. A state planning team was formed with more than 140 contributing partners.”
Because of the demand, IDHS will activate the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) for the days leading up to the eclipse and on that day itself. The SEOC is the primary hub for Indiana’s emergency support and coordination efforts to gather and disseminate event
information, respond to requests for assistance from counties and state agencies, identify and coordinate priority actions and allocate resources. The SEOC will be monitoring what is happening around the state and allocate additional resources if a local partner requests help.
Such an event can spark an uptick in recreational drug use and overdosing, as well as people becoming lost and separated from their families, drivers parking in remote places who need assistance and other unexpected situations.
This is going to be a fun event for Indiana, Moran said, but preparing ahead of time will make sure that the event happens smoothly.
The police will also have a presence at other local upcoming special events, such as the Renaissance Faire, which will be
held at the airport and other festivities scheduled for downtown Columbus, as well. Because of the large crowds expected at the airport, barricading some spots will be necessary, but the department hopes to keep streets open throughout the long weekend. They’ll set up a centrally located command center where department heads will funnel information to Harris, and he’ll keep the community up to date.
Harris agrees that once preparations have been made, it’s time to have fun.
“We want people who aren’t from Columbus to visit Zaharakos, take the architectural tour and get a feeling for what makes Columbus such a special place,” he said. “We want to put our best foot forward and for people to have a good time and a positive impression of the community when they come here to share this experience.”
Many local residents have been looking forward to the upcoming eclipse since Aug. 21, 2017, when about 91% of the sun over central Indiana was shadowed by the moon. Next week, on April 8, at around 3:10 p.m., the moon will again be between the sun and the Earth.
This time, however, Columbus, along with most of central and southern Indiana, will be in the path of totality; the sun will be 100% covered by the moon. The path of totality will be about 115 miles wide and in-
cludes parts of Mexico and a line across the eastern United States and eastern Canada. There will be a partial eclipse visible in the rest of the 48 contiguous states that day. The next total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States won’t be until 2044, and the last total solar eclipse over Indiana was in 1869, according to a local expert.
Columbus North High School science teacher Wayne Britton has taught for 19 years, including integrated chemistry-physics, earth-based sciences and astronomy.
“Astronomy is one of my favorite things to teach. … Children and most adults, for that matter, have tons of questions about astronomy and are curious about outer space. … I find it utterly fascinating. We know more now than we’ve ever known, and we still don’t know much,” he said.
Britton said what truly makes a total eclipse special is how rare it is. While there are at least two solar eclipses a year, sometimes more, several different things must line up for the eclipse to be a total eclipse.
“As much as we all want to believe the pictures that were on placemats as small children that everything is in a perfect, circular orbit and everything is smooth. It’s absolutely not that way,” Britton said.
“The Earth’s orbit is elliptical,” he continued. “In the summer, we’re actually closer to the sun, and further away
in winter, just by a few million kilometers. … Which sounds tremendous, but astronomically, that’s not very much. And the moon’s orbit is not perfectly circular, either. Though there are times when it’s closer and times when it’s further away. To have a total solar eclipse, the moon’s orbital path has to cross the Earth’s orbital path, and the moon has to be at its closest approach, or perigee. And that’s where it’s going to be now. That’s what makes it so particular. It’s called a ‘syzygy,’ an ancient Greek term meaning a straight alignment of three celestial bodies.”
He went on to explain that because the moon’s orbit compared to the Earth is tilted by “5-plus degrees, it has to line up just right. All these things have to occur,” he said.
On Aug. 21, 2017, Britton took the
day off from work. He and a friend drove without a plan other than to follow a map showing the path of totality. They ultimately stopped in Kentucky, “on the edge of some really small town,” he recalled.
He estimated that thousands of other people were also looking out at this same sight. He expects the same for Columbus on April 8.
“It’s a perfect crossroads for people to descend, and we’re right in the path of totality,” he said.
“I will say this, it was absolutely amazing. You’re not going to see a difference in light until the sun is about 98-99% covered. And then suddenly it’s very dark. The sky turned a shade of purple I’ve never seen the sky before. It was very dark,” he said.
But it wasn’t just what he could see that got his attention.
“The daytime bugs stopped, and there was a 30-second lull. And all the nighttime bugs woke up. And, as it ended, it reversed. But there was this interesting lull in-between I never would have caught if I wasn’t paying attention. But it made sense. It was a beautiful, beautiful
sight.”
— WAynE BRITTOn
“The daytime bugs stopped,” Britton said. “And there was a 30-second lull. And all the nighttime bugs woke up. And, as it ended, it reversed. But there was this interesting lull in-between I never would have caught if I wasn’t paying attention. But it made sense. It was a beautiful, beautiful sight.”
He recommended anyone looking to go somewhere to experience totality to plan
at least an extra hour of driving. After the eclipse is over, he added, plan on sitting in traffic for a while.
There won’t be a bad place to view the totality, he added, if there are not any obstructions like tall buildings blocking the sun. Unless, of course, the weather doesn’t cooperate. If there are clouds, he said, the sky will still get darker, but the sun would not be visible if the clouds are blocking the sun, just like any other cloudy day.
Britton said he appreciates watching eclipses, including lunar eclipses, because the experience doesn’t require any special telescopes or other equipment, just proper eyewear for any solar events. He added not to stare directly at the sun, warning of permanent retinal and
corneal damage. NASA recommended ISO 12312-2 international standard for any eclipse glasses. Britton added the special glasses could be saved and used to observe future solar events, such as a planet crossing between the Earth and the sun.
He also added that if anyone is looking for more information about the total eclipse, to check out NASA’s website, science.nasa.gov/ eclipses/future-eclipses. For families with children, he suggested the kidscommons, Columbus’s children’s museum.
As of mid-March, Britton was planning either to host out-of-state friends who would stay with him or visit friends who live out in the country.
“I’m really looking forward to this one. Are you kidding me? It’s amazing,” he said.
Eclipse Word Search
Celestial darkness
First contact
Fourth contact
Path of totality
Pinhole projector
Second contact
Solar eclipse
Solar filter
Third contact
Crossword puzzle answers
5. Practice this to protect your eyes during an eclipse
6. The event that occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun and all three are aligned
7. The planet we live on
8. Worn during an eclipse to protect your eyes
9. The natural satellite of the Earth
10. The star at the center of the solar system
