Rossville program aimed to teach public how to watch total solar eclipse

ROSSVILLE, Ind. — This spring's total solar eclipse might be 2024's biggest natural event for the area, and Rossville schools scheduled an event Thursday to help students and adults alike safely view the eclipse.

“Attending community events is a great way to share the excitement of the eclipse, and an added benefit is that many events have experts on hand to share safety information,” NASA research scientist Michael Kirk said.

The students will cycle through a total solar eclipse program presented by Dan McGlaun, an expert on eclipses. His website, eclipse2024.org, offers simulations of the moon's shadow as it traverses North America, as well as other important information about viewing the eclipse cutting through Central Indiana, according to a news release from the Rossville schools.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, at the Rossville High School auditorium, McGlaun will present eclipse educational and safety information to adults in the community, according to the news release.

“If you’re on your own, do some research so you know when to take your (eclipse) glasses off," Kirk said. "You can find the exact time of totality in your location, and there are also visual cues to look for: In the last few seconds before totality, you can see a ‘diamond ring’ effect — a single bright flash of light on the moon’s edge, followed by smaller points of light known as Baily’s Beads. Once these points of light disappear, it’s safe to remove your eclipse glasses and look directly at the eclipse.”

Normally, humans cannot see the sun’s outermost layer (the corona) because the sun’s surface below it is so much brighter, according to NASA. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and making the corona visible.

During totality, when the moon completely blocks the visible surface of the sun, viewers can momentarily take their eclipse glasses off. This occurrence allows for unique opportunities to study the sun’s corona, NASA scientists said.

Additionally, when a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wake up (thinking it is nighttime) and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it is time to go to sleep, they said.

Lafayette area is in 'path of totality' for solar eclipse

Rossville, as well as Lafayette and West Lafayette, sits along the “path of totality” for the April 8 solar eclipse.

“A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun,” according to NASA.

People viewing the eclipse from locations where the moon’s shadow completely covers the sun — known as the path of totality — will experience a total solar eclipse, scientists say. The sky will become dark, as if it were dawn or dusk.

Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the sun.

Some Lafayette area schools will close for eclipse

In anticipation of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, many area area schools have canceled classes, or have scheduled an e-learning day for students.

Lafayette schools were the first to announce their decision to cancel classes on April 8. The decision, however, was not necessarily made to allow students to experience the eclipse, but rather out of safety precautions.

Tippecanoe School Corp. also will take off on April 8. Superintendent Scott Hanback said students will make this day up on President’s Day, which is Feb. 19.

“Schools will be sending reminders about the change, but we wanted to let you know now so that you can begin to make necessary arrangements,” he said in a corporation-wide email. “In addition to classroom learning, there are many resources available online to learn and safely participate in this extremely unique event such as NASA and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.”

Rossville schools also plan on letting students have the day off "to allow families to observe the eclipse safely as they see fit," the schools' news release stated.

Local law enforcement and other emergency organizations anticipate a large influx of travelers from across the world heading to Indianapolis and surrounding cities, such as Lafayette, to experience the total eclipse.

Because of the large number of expected travelers, Tippecanoe County emergency organizations expect to receive a higher number of calls. Therefore, they will not have enough resources to provide the local school districts with adequate services on that day.

Lafayette Christian Schools are planning an e-learning day in order to help students, staff and families experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Principal Trevor Zonnefeld said.

“Students will have an assignment to complete on that day that is connected to the solar eclipse,” he said. Lafayette Christian administration also plans to hand out eclipse glasses to all students and staff so they can “safely enjoy viewing the eclipse.”

West Lafayette schools’ calendar committee took the solar eclipse into consideration when planning this year’s school calendar, Communications Coordinator Callie Slauter said.

“We have April 8 scheduled as a staff (professional development) day, so teachers will be in (professional development) events, but students will have the day off,” she said.

The Lafayette Catholic schools have not yet made a decision on whether or not they will close, have an e-learning day or be in session on April 8, President Michael Seeley said. They expect to make a decision in the coming weeks, he said.

Hotel costs in the path of totality

Indianapolis lies directly in the middle of the path of totality, where the eclipse's complete darkness will last the longest in the state of Indiana.

Hotel prices in Indianapolis are already on the rise — Ironworks on East 86th Street has April 8 prices listed at $500. Sheraton hotels start at $359, and hotels, such as Marriott and Holiday Inn, have varying prices for members; nonmembers are sometimes being required to book a 2-day stay the week of April 8.

As of Jan. 13, hotel prices in Lafayette have remained mostly normal — with slight price spikes at the Union Club Hotel at Purdue University. The Holiday Inn at City Centre on South Street lists starting prices at $180 per night. The nearby Fairfield Inn and Suites lists starting prices at $129 per night.

How to get the best eclipse view in Lafayette

Kirk said scientists use data on the positions of the sun, the moon and Earth, along with information about Earth’s elevation and maps of the moon’s shape created by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission to calculate the path of totality for the solar eclipse. Kirk works in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

All together, scientists can use this data and spherical geometry to determine the shape and location of the moon’s shadow as it passes across Earth, Kirk said.

Even if it’s cloudy on April 8, there are still ways to experience the total solar eclipse, Kirk said.

“Depending on the weather conditions, you still may experience the sky darkening or the temperature dropping near totality,” Kirk said. “You can also follow the eclipse live with NASA. We will host a live broadcast from across the path of totality, bringing you views of the eclipse from different places, along with expert interviews and science updates.”

Watch on the NASA website, NASA+, or NASA social media accounts.

'Eclipse glasses' are a must-have for April 8 eclipse

If planning to view the eclipse individually, viewers need to purchase special “eclipse glasses” to protect the eyes. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the sun.

The clearest cue that it’s safe to remove your eclipse glasses is when you can no longer see anything through them, Kirk said.

“Totality is not bright enough to see through eclipse glasses, so once you can no longer see the eclipse through your glasses, it’s safe to take them off,” he said. “Be prepared to look away or put your glasses back on at the first sign of the sun peeking out from behind the moon at the end of totality.”

After the April 8 eclipse , the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug. 23, 2044, according to NASA.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: What to know about total solar eclipse in Lafayette area on April 8