Just how many visitors will the Hoosier state see on April 8th?  Early estimates are saying a LOT!

Get our free mobile app

Total Solar Eclipse

The countdown for the total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024 is officially on. I feel like we've been counting down to this day ever since the solar eclipse that took place in 2017. With a pretty good portion of the Hoosier state located within the path of totality, how many visitors do you think Indiana will see?  It turns out it's a LOT and there's a very good reason for so many wanting to experience the path of totality.

The Path of Totality

The path of totality is the name given to the area that will see the full solar eclipse. According to Space, the path of totality is a roughly 115-mile-wide area (about 9,000 miles across the planet) and it's the inner shadow of the moon being projected onto the Earth's surface.  Only within the path of totality is where the moon appears to fully block out the sun during a solar eclipse.

And being within the path of totality is supposed to be an insanely cool experience.  Space explains a few things you can only experience inside of this path.

Stand in the path of totality and you get treated to the full array of celestial spectacles only this event can offer. Unique sights and experiences include:

• Darkness in the day (typically a deep twilight) during totality.
• A view of the solar corona during totality.
• A view of pinkish 'prominences' (explosions) on the limb of the sun during totality.
• A 'diamond ring' that begins and ends totality.
• Shadow bands on the floor a few minutes before and after totality.
• A noticeable drop in temperature.

How Many Will Travel to Indiana to Experience Totality?

With a big portion of the Hoosier state being within the path of totality, you can imagine many people will be heading our way to enjoy the celestial show.  Rough estimates are saying that nearly half a million people will be heading to Indiana to experience totality.

According to the Great American Eclipse, Indiana will see the second biggest influx of visitors for the eclipse behind Texas.

Texas will enjoy the majority of eclipse visitors next April 8 with a high estimate of just over a million visitors. Next are Indiana and Ohio which can expect about a high estimate of about half million people each. Heavy traffic will come from nearby metropolises such as San Antonio, Houston, Memphis, St Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.

It will be very interesting to see what kind of influx of visitors we see on April 8th, but one thing is for sure, it seems we will be seeing a lot of traffic around that date.  You can learn more about the visitor estimates from the Great American Eclipse, here.