Rossville Consolidated School District hosted a solar eclipse presentation Thursday evening to discuss the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8.
The presentation was led by renowned eclipse chaser and mathematician Dan McGlaun, who developed a website for the 2017 total eclipse that received over 10 million views every month leading up to the event. McGlaun has viewed 15 solar eclipses, and his first viewing was 30 years ago. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in mathematics and has been developing his own calculations to provide real-time and accurate depictions of the path total eclipses will take across the entire world. With the upcoming solar eclipse expected to shroud much of Clinton County and Boone County in totality, McGlaun launched eclipse2024.org.
“We’re a website that serves eclipse information and visual and educational resources to everyone in English, French and Spanish because the eclipse goes over Mexico and the United States and Canada,” McGlaun said. “I am just bringing eclipse excitement, enthusiasm and knowledge and education to basically everybody.”
McGlaun approached the Rossville community on Thursday, delivering a presentation to the elementary students, the middle and high school students as well as the public about Rossville’s expectations for the eclipse as well as the community’s options to see a total solar eclipse only miles away from the edge of the town. Rossville Consolidated School District has announced that the schools will close on April 8 for families to observe the eclipse together.
McGlaun stated that Rossville is not located in the path of totality, and the actual path of totality splits Clinton County down the middle, cutting a line through downtown Frankfort where the fairgrounds and Frankfort High School will be in the path of totality while just a few miles away will not experience totality, such as the Clinton County Courthouse. However, despite Rossville and other areas of Clinton County not being in the path of totality, McGlaun stated that those who wish to experience the eclipse from their homes or their hometown will still see a portion of the sun obstructed by the moon.
“Unfortunately, Rossville is about six or seven miles outside the path, so we’re going to get a really, really deep partial, which is very interesting, but one of the things that I do with my eclipse simulator is I show what it will look like from any location,” McGlaun said. “You can make the decision. Do you want to go to the edge in Frankfort, do you want to go to Kirklin where they’re having a bunch of eclipse parties or do you want to go further south and get a little more duration? You can make that choice based on what it’s going to look like for you.”
McGlaun’s website allows for community members to pinpoint their location and view a graphic that will showcase the expected impact of the eclipse in their area. The illustrations and simulators are based on calculations conducted by McGlaun after 20 years of practice, and he stated that his website has been featured on numerous high-profile websites and in national newspapers, including the official NASA website, for its accuracy in portraying the path, timing and visuals associated with every eclipse he has covered.
“I am a veteran eclipse chaser,” McGlaun said. “I’ve seen 15 total eclipses. I do all my own eclipse calculations from scratch, so that powers my site.”
McGlaun encouraged community members to make the most of their 2024 eclipse experience as the next time Clinton County is expected to have a path of totality is Feb. 25, 2343 in 319 years. The last time that Clinton County has been shrouded in totality was June 16, 1806, just over 218 years ago. In 1806, the totality in Clinton County lasted around 2 minutes and 30 seconds while the totality in 2343 is expected to last around 2 minutes and 15 seconds. For the 2024 eclipse, the totality is expected to reach upwards of three minutes as it travels further south into the Boone County area. Rossville is expected to be in around a 99% totality, and McGlaun stated that those who stay in the area will still feel a special draw to the event.
“This is one of the things that inspired me to do this for everybody, not just people in the path,” McGlaun said. “We are guilty as eclipse geeks, as astronomers, as scientists of ‘well, you know, if you’re not in the path, it’s just not even worth it.’ No, that’s not even true at all. Everyone’s experience is important. Everybody’s experience is worthy and valid, and if there’s anything I can leave you with, you will remember what you did for eclipse day. You will remember for the rest of your life.”
Numerous Indiana counties have launched plans over the past year to prepare for the path of totality and the surrounding areas that will experience a lesser percentage of totality. The plans have included large celebrations, which have been prominently talked about in the Kirklin, Jamestown and Lebanon areas as well as at the Clinton County Fairgrounds, vendor markets, time capsules and much more. McGlaun stated that the overwhelming community involvement and support in the area is a testament to the magnitude of viewing the total eclipse firsthand.
“It is a big deal,” McGlaun said. “It’s just making huge strides all over the United States, Canada and Mexico through the path and even people outside the path.”
McGlaun continued to state that while he has seen 15 total eclipses throughout the world, including areas of the United States, China, Africa and much more, he still looks forward to every instance that he is able to view a total eclipse, and this year, he plans to finally view the eclipse from his front yard in Indiana.
“It is one thing that you have to do in your life,” McGlaun said. “You can put it on any bucket list. I’ve traveled all over the world to see them because you just want to see them. They’re the most amazing thing you have ever seen in your life, and I say that as somebody who has seen 50 countries, I’ve seen my kids be born, and I’d put a total eclipse up right up there.”
According to his website, McGlaun’s calculations place areas just south of the fairgrounds and in Kirklin as having an expected 45 seconds of totality, which further increases as the map travels south into Boone County. McGlaun’s website also details safety during the total eclipse, such as the use of protective eyewear, which is available on his website from a United States-based company. Rossville student and President of the Student Body Emersyn Hill shared more about his website in her introduction of McGlaun on Thursday evening.
“Through his website, Mr. McGlaun offers the science behind the eclipse, how to safely view the event and additional fun tidbits on it, like testimonials of other eclipse viewers, and it even allows you to share your own eclipse experience, which you can hopefully do after April 8,” Hill said. “It is such a blessing he is able to join us this evening.”
For more information, visit eclipse2024.org or contact McGlaun at dan@eclipse2024.org.