Monday’s total solar eclipse puts Daviess County in a rare position as one of the only areas on the path of totality for both this year’s and the 2017 solar eclipses. A portion of West Daviess County will experience the April 8 eclipse for approximately 2 minutes, and here’s a quick guide on how to enjoy the experience.
A small portion of western Daviess County will briefly be in the path of totality — when the moon completely blocks the Sun and totally darkens the sky. Anyone wanting to see a longer totality duration only has to drive a short distance for the experience.
The eclipse begins over Kentucky at roughly 1:58 p.m. and will end at approximately 2:01 p.m.
Behind the solar eclipse
According to NASA, on average, a total solar eclipse occurs every 18 months — though most are over the ocean or less populated areas. NASA also reports that any given location on Earth will experience a total eclipse roughly once every 100 years.
Many area residents may remember that the last total solar eclipse was in August 2017. Monday’s eclipse is different in some respects.
According to NASA, the 2024 eclipse path will travel northwest through North America instead of southeast. It will first be visible in Mexico and then move across the United States, passing through several states including Kentucky and Indiana, before eventually reaching Canada.
The path is wider and encompasses more cities, with an estimated 31.6 million people living in the path of totality this year — compared to 12 million in 2017. This eclipse will also last longer, with just over 4 minutes of totality toward its center. Varying degrees of a partial solar eclipse will be visible outside that path, spanning nearly 3 hours.
Most of Daviess County will experience a partial eclipse —reaching up to 99% — while the westernmost portions will very briefly be in the path of totality. The difference in 99% and 100% is actually quite significant, according to scientists.
You can see a rendering of the difference by visiting this interactive animation website on eclipse2024.org and comparing a city on the edge of totality, such as Owensboro, and one completely in the path, such as Evansville. The total eclipse will be near the middle of the animations.
How to watch locally
A partial eclipse over Owensboro will begin around 12:35 p.m. and last through approximately 3:22 p.m. A small portion of Daviess County — the community of Stanley — will be in the path of totality around 2:04 p.m. In Evansville, the totality duration will last from 2:02-2:04 p.m., while the partial eclipse has roughly the same timespan as Owensboro.
Stanley sits on the south limit of the eclipse, so travelers who do not want to travel to Henderson or Evansville for the 4 minutes of totality can still see roughly 2 minutes.
The Owensboro Museum of Science and History is providing a charter bus for patrons to ride to the Evansville Museum of Art, History and Science. It will be a full-day event, including planetarium lessons, lunch, and prime seats during the eclipse. It costs $99 per person for OMSH members and $125 for non-members. For more information, click here.
The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden is hosting an eclipse viewing party starting at 11 a.m. The Garden will give away 300 pairs of solar glasses on a first-come, first-serve basis. In addition, food trucks will be on site. It costs $4 per person for non-members and is free for all members of the garden. For more information, click here.
Owensboro Health is partnering with Henderson Community and Technical College to showcase several events throughout the day, including a showing of “Little Shop of Horrors,” telescopes, and other activities. For more information, click here.
Daviess County and Owensboro public schools will also celebrate the solar event during the school day.
Safety while watching
NASA reports that it is unsafe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for most of the event. This includes viewing the Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescopes without a special-purpose solar filter.
According to NASA, even with eclipse glasses or an eclipse viewer, the concentrated solar rays from the lenses will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury. Click here for more safety procedures from NASA.
