Written by Serena Thompson

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On April 8, 2024, residents of Muncie, IN will experience a Total Solar Eclipse, a rare phenomenon where the moon passes over the sun causing complete darkness. The last time Muncie saw a total eclipse was in the year 957 CE.

The Total Solar Eclipse will begin at 1:52 pm Eastern Time and conclude at 4:24 p.m. Furthermore, the Moon will start to block the Sun and reach totality at 3:07 p.m. It will last for 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

To prepare for the Total Solar Eclipse, Ball State University’s Charles W. Brown Planetarium is hosting various events relating to the event. The planetarium will offer a wide range of shows such as “Earth, Moon & Sun,” “So you want to see Totality?” and “Eclipse: The Sun Revealed.”

All throughout March the planetarium will be offering a public show called “Eclipse: The Sun Revealed,” which covers the history of solar eclipses, observations, the documentation, and how eclipses occur. The program will also cover how the Earth and Moon’s relationship with the Sun affects eclipses.

Ball State Planetarium Show Specialist Nicolette Terracciano is excited about the surge of visitors anxious to learn more about the eclipse. As the show specialist, Terracciano assists with its daily operations from group visits to public shows and activities.

“I’m helping promote the eclipse, talking about it, being that communicator to the public, letting people know about it, [and] how to view it safely,” Terracciano said. “Talking about the tiny little things in our solar system that don’t get talked about a lot.”

Make sure you have your eclipse glasses, read here for where to get them and how to use them. 

Click here f0r more information about the Total Solar Eclipse and the Charles W. Brown Planetarium.