There’s a dark side to viewing a solar eclipse along the line of totality.
The light-years drive home.
A record number of Americans viewed the Great American Eclipse of 2017, when the swath of totality cut through southern Illinois.
Granted, not all of the 154 million adults who watched it were with us on Interstate 57 later that afternoon, but, wow, it sure seemed like it.
The line of totality for the upcoming April 8 solar eclipse is again expected to run just a few hours from the Chicago area, through southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Yet, to many 2017 eclipse veterans who gathered in southern Illinois, nearby never seemed so far away.
We’ve had seven years to get over that traumatic crawl north on that blazing August day, when a Saturn-sized parking lot of eclipse fans packed up their viewing glasses and souvenir posters and hit the highways — all at the same time.
They don’t make special safety glasses that enable a human to endure a sea of nonstop blinking red brake lights for 12 hours.
My husband and I had spent a few days in the area, visiting the wineries, hiking the Garden of the Gods in the Shawnee National Forest, scooping up souvenirs in Makanda and mingling with rocket scientists on the day of the event. Everywhere we went there were thousands of other space cadets.
Still, we were high on electromagnetic radiation as we exited Southern Illinois University’s Saluki Stadium for the drive home and vowed we would return for a repeat in 2024.
And then everything hit the brakes.
By the time we pulled into our driveway, we were low on gas, patience and stamina, wondering, “Can’t an eclipse be just as cool from our own backyard?”
The answer is yes.
Chicago’s Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, www.adlerplanetarium.org, is hosting free outdoor activities during the April 8 eclipse. There will be safe solar viewing through scopes on the Telescope Terrace and solar giveaways while supplies last.
Joliet Junior College, jjc.edu, will welcome the public to safely view the partial eclipse outside its Event Center on the Main Campus, 1215 Houbolt Road in Joliet. Bring sandwiches; bring friends.
A limited number of solar eclipse viewers will be available. Guests also will be able to view projected images of the sun using Sunspotter telescopes and Sun Funnel on an 8-inch telescope. In addition, a specialized solar telescope will be available to view solar prominences and a LightSound device will be available for blind and visually impaired guests to experience the eclipse via sound.
The JJC solar viewing event starts at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. The actual eclipse will begin at 12:51 p.m., reach its maximum at 2:06 p.m. and end at 3:21 p.m., according to JJC spokeswoman Katie Smith.
NASA’s live-feed of the total solar eclipse will be played in the Event Center (EC-1000 and 1001) during the event.
In the Chicago area, the moon will obscure 94.2% of the sun’s disk at maximum eclipse.
Granted, that’s not totality, but it’s still an A in my grade book. All the fun of a celestial event, and still home in time to not only eat dinner, but make it.
Others also plan to stay close to home, including Art Maurer, local astronomy expert and retired director of the Trackman Planetarium at JJC.
Maurer, who lives in Crete, can’t explain the madness that enveloped the 2017 event but he can explain why it suddenly seems like the moon is a million time bigger than the sun even though it’s not.
At the time of the upcoming eclipse, Maurer said, the sun will be 93 million miles away. The moon, on the other hand, is 220,000 miles away. Though much smaller, the moon will appear bigger because it is closer to Earth. When it passes in front of the sun it causes an eclipse.
There won’t be another partial one in the Chicago area until 2029, and there won’t be a total one here until 2099.
Solar eclipses are rare, Maurer said, because the sun and the moon are not on the same path.
The sun follows the solar equator, 23.5 degrees above the Earth’s equator, he said. The moon has a 5-degree variance, meaning it can be 5 degrees above or below the solar equator at any given time. When it crosses the solar equator, he said, we get an eclipse.
It is a fascinating occurrence. But only you can determine if you need 100% on this assignment or if a 94 will do.
For those of you who plan to travel to the point of totality, remember your journey home may be anything but cosmic.
Indiana State Police are advising travelers on safety issues at www.in.gov/dhs/solar-eclipse-2024/planning/#Safety_Messaging_for_Drivers.
In Cleveland, where the Chicago White Sox are scheduled to play the Guardians at 5:10 that evening, Ohio State Police are warning eclipse travelers to arrive early and stay late to avoid the heaviest traffic. More information about safety and events can be found at eclipse.ohio.gov and ohio.org/eclipse.
A solar eclipse, Maurer said, is a big deal and has been for centuries. My father-in-law once traveled all the way to the Atacama Desert in Chile to view totality.
If you want to join the masses for the totality party, have at it.
Just remember while the universe may be a vast, lonely place, it will shrink considerably on your drive back home.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years. She can be reached at donnavickroy4@gmail.com.
