There’s a solar eclipse next month: Here’s what that means

The countdown to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse has begun. Indianapolis and other areas of the Midwest will be bathed in darkness for a few moments as the moon eclipses the sun in a rare astrological event on April 8. “The chance of seeing a total eclipse is probably once every 300-400 years so that’s at any one location on Earth,” said Aarran Shaw, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Butler University. “The rarity of total solar eclipses, that’s making this kind of such a special event and why we’re really putting all our efforts into organizing events and getting the message out there. It’s a really big deal.” A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves directly between the sun and the Earth, casting a shadow on the Earth, Shaw said. The path of totality, or the 115-mile band where the full eclipse can be seen, will cross through Texas, the Midwest — including Bloomington, Terre Haute, Indianapolis and Muncie — New York, Maine and parts of Canada. First contact, or when the moon first starts to cover the sun, happens approximately one hour and 15 minutes before totality, Shaw said. This will happen around 1:50 p.m....