TROY — With such an extremely rare opportunity to see a total solar eclipse in the region April 8, visitors are sure to pour into numerous local cities in the pathway of the eclipse.
According to NASA, a total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun. People located in the center of the moon’s shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk.
This total solar eclipse will be visible in Ohio, one of 15 U.S. states, and a partial solar eclipse will be visible in all 49 continental states.
Bruce Brownlee, a Tipp City native and now a resident of Johns Island, South Carolina, plans to return to Miami County with his wife, Diane, for several days before the event.
“We are looking forward to the trip back to the Miami Valley. We come back to Miami County often,” Brownlee said. “I have two nieces who live back in Tipp City.”
“We snagged a hotel room about a year ago at the Holiday Inn there,” Brownlee said when asked if he was able to reserve a room or if he was staying with family.
He said he looked forward to attending several scheduled events in Miami County and catching up with old friends.
“My only regret is that I can’t be in six places at once,” he said with a chuckle of wanting to be in both downtown Troy and Tipp City, as well as on the Troy levee or at Tipp City’s Kyle Park or even at his childhood home on Hyatt Street, plus at any other fun events.
He wasn’t too worried about expected busy traffic.
“We are in no rush to get back home (to South Carolina),” Browlee said. “I am 50% retired, so we are in no hurry. And we can stop off in Atlanta and in Greenville, North Carolina, to see grandbabies if we want to.”
In the Lima area, members of Tammi and John Trenkamp’s family will be heading there for the eclipse. She will have family traveling from Seattle, Washington; Orlando, Florida; Cincinnati; and possibly from South Carolina, she said by email.
Trenkamp noted they plan to spend Saturday, April, 6, in Lima and attend the Solar Smash Bash downtown. On Monday, April 8, they plan to be at an Air BNB located in Huntsville near Indian Lake for the event.
