Morgan Watkins

@morganwatkins26

On Aug. 21, the moon's shadow will sweep over Western Kentucky as the nation is graced with a total solar eclipse – a phenomenon that will draw thousands of tourists to the commonwealth.

Nicknamed the Great American Eclipse, this astronomical event will be the first total eclipse to hit the continental U.S. in more than 30 years and the first in nearly a century to cross America from coast to coast.

Western Kentucky is slated to have one of the best vantage points for this short-but-stellar occurrence on Aug. 21. Hopkinsville, a city of under 35,000, is expected to experience the eclipse for two minutes and 40 seconds – longer than practically anywhere else – and its officials are capitalizing on that distinction.

Between the Kentucky Derby, billed as "the most exciting two minutes in sports," and next year's eclipse, the commonwealth is cornering the market for two-minute attractions, said Kristen Branscum, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism.

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This will attract tens of thousands of visitors to Kentucky, especially since Hopkinsville is the "great eclipse epicenter," Branscum said. People from Japan, Sweden and other countries have been calling to find out where to stay. The state is working on a major marketing push and recently launched a website devoted to the eclipse.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Hopkinsville," said Tab Brockman, parks superintendent for the city's parks and recreation division.

The city began planning over a year ago for the eclipse, which may attract up to 200,000 people to Western Kentucky, Hopkinsville Mayor Carter Hendricks said. This phenomenon could have a multimillion-dollar economic impact on the region in just one weekend, and he sees it as an opportunity to dream big.

The eclipse is the excuse Hopkinsville needed to be aggressive about moving the city forward, he said. The hope is to give visitors an experience that makes them want to return again and again.

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Hopkinsville is planning a bunch of festivities for the weekend of the eclipse, Brockman said. Officials are mapping out good public viewing spots and have identified about 2,500 areas throughout the community that can be used as campsites. The hotels in Christian County are basically sold out, he said, and residents are posting rooms for rent on Airbnb.

The city hosted its inaugural Summer Salute celebration last month, which was called a "pre-clipse festival," Brockman said. Next year, the event is scheduled for the eclipse weekend and will feature music, rides and other attractions.

An annual celebration the nearby community of Kelly will hold that weekend may prove especially appealing to eclipse chasers. On Aug. 21, 1955, exactly 62 years before the 2017 eclipse, a group of people famously told the local police that aliens had attacked their farmhouse that night. The town holds its "Little Green Men" Days Festival year each to mark that anniversary, which will coincide with the upcoming eclipse.

Several state parks in Western Kentucky are positioned to offer good views of the eclipse, said Gil Lawson, spokesman for the Kentucky Department of Parks. Officials are developing astronomy-themed events as well as scoping out extra camping space since reservations are piling up.

Hopkinsville, Paducah and other parts of Western Kentucky are in the path of totality, where the moon will completely cover the sun next year, said Tom Troland, an astronomy professor at the University of Kentucky. People who don't travel to see a total solar eclipse often must wait more than a century for one to drape their city in darkness.

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The last time a total solar eclipse was visible in both Louisville and Lexington was in 1869, and the next one won't happen until the year 2153, he said. Paducah is unusual because it will experience a total eclipse in both 2017 and 2024, although cloudy weather could ruin the view.

People who remain in Louisville on Aug. 21 will see the moon cover about 95 percent of the sun, but a total eclipse is much different, Troland said. The sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, is pearly white and a million times fainter than the rest of the star, so it's only visible during a total eclipse.

"It's worth the trip," he said. "An eclipse is just an unforgettable moment."

Troland has seen two total eclipses, which can be predicted decades in advance. He has been telling his students about the 2017 eclipse for 35 years and doesn't plan to miss it.

Reporter Morgan Watkins can be reached at (502) 875-5136 or mwatkins@courier-journal.com.

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