TYLER, Texas — The total eclipse of 2024 is just a few months away, and Tyler is among the locations that will be in the path of complete totality.
"So the next time a total solar eclipse will be crossing the United States, after 2024, won’t be until 2045 -- so another 21 years. But the next time that it’ll be passing through East Texas and Tyler actually won’t even be this millennium, it won’t be until after the year 3000," Dr. Beau Hartweg, director of the TJC Earth and Space Science Center said.
It's the view of a lifetime for East Texas. Something is coming that we won't experience in the area for hundreds of years after April - a total solar eclipse.
Hartweg is an expert on the subject and is expecting the roads to be packed with tourists.
"So people travel from all over the world to get into that shadow because it’s such an amazing event. And so, there are going to be what we call eclipse tourists, eclipse travelers who want to get into that special area," Hartweg said.
With the influx of people that could be coming to the Tyler area, Hartweg said there’s already a system in place to help small businesses take advantage of the extra traffic.
"We’ve partnered with Visit Tyler, Visit Lindale as kind of our outreach to the local area businesses. And so, in Tyler there’s a website called TotalityTyler.com. So any business who’s interested in hosting an event, please check out that website," Hartweg said.
The idea is to capitalize on the eclipse rolling through town and jump on the opportunity to show folks what Tyler and East Texas is all about.
"We just encourage them to kind of make this a fun way to showcase the community and the best of what Tyler has to offer. And so if there are eclipse-themed food, drinks, maybe events, movies nights, game nights that you can host. Anything to kind of make this a fun event for visitors," Hartweg said.
The total eclipse will pass through on April 8, but it’s best to start making preparations for this historic event now.