National Eclipse

ECLIPSE OVERVIEW

The centerline of the eclipse enters Indiana as it crosses the Wabash River at approximately 1:47pm EDT, with totality beginning in that location at about 3:02pm EDT.

The path of totality arrives in Indiana on a collision course with the core of the state and with several large Indiana cities sitting happily in its crosshairs. The arrival of the eclipse in Indiana also represents the start of its journey through the "Rust Belt" of America where it will cross over or come close to a plethora of major northern cities and population centers where millions of people will have a chance to see nature's greatest show.

Evansville is located between the centerline and the eastern limit of the eclipse path, good enough for totality durations to break the 3-minute mark in many parts of this Ohio River town. In downtown Evansville, totality will last for about 3 minutes and 3 seconds. East of Evansville, the eclipse passes through much of Hoosier National Forest. On the western side of the eclipse path, Terre Haute, which has cleverly taglined their eclipse celebration as "A Total Eclipse of the Haute," is far enough inside the path for totality durations to surpass the 3-minute mark in some areas of the city. In the downtown area, Terre Haute will get about 2 minutes and 57 seconds of totality. But in Indiana, Bloomington wins the eclipse lottery, located almost directly on the centerline. For a total solar eclipse, the centerline is where the duration of totality lasts the longest in any one area, and the lucky residents of Bloomington will enjoy durations that exceed the 4-minute mark. In the downtown Bloomington area, the Sun will go dark for about 4 minutes and 2 seconds.

About two-thirds of the way to the centerline from the western limit of the eclipse path is Indianapolis, the largest city in the U.S. outside of Texas with a direct hit of totality on April 8. And with a duration of totality of about 3 minutes and 49 seconds in downtown Indy, Indiana's capital city is promised more than its fair share of darkness on eclipse day. Farther along the path, Muncie fares just about as well as Indianapolis, situated more than halfway to the centerline from the western edge of the eclipse path. In downtown Muncie, observers can expect about 3 minutes and 47 seconds of totality.

For eclipse chasers who don't mind driving into the path of totality on eclipse day, Louisville is quite close on the eastern side of the path. Drive west on Interstate 64 or north on Interstate 65 to reach totality in less than an hour. Fort Wayne is even closer on the western side of the path, with the city brushing right up against the totality line. All over Indiana, the interstate system makes getting around and getting near the centerline easy. Interstate 74 and I-65 both bisect the entire width of the path of totality and run through Indianapolis and Interstate 69 parallels the centerline for a 30-mile stretch near Bloomington.

The centerline of the eclipse exits the state at approximately 4:25pm EDT, with totality coming to an end in that location at about 3:12pm EDT. From the Illinois-Indiana border to the Indiana-Ohio border, the Moon's shadow travels approximately 183 miles along the centerline in 5 minutes and 24 seconds at an average speed of 2,038 miles per hour.