Total Eclipse Of The Facts: How The U.S. Public Is Being Mislead About Totality

31.03.2024 - 13:51 / forbes.com

Will your intended observing location on April 8 actually experience a total solar eclipse? If you completely trust the travel industry and the media, you might do. Or you might not.

April 8’s total solar eclipse is being made unnecessarily complicated by some in the travel industry that seem, at best, unable to understand the event’s basic science and geography. At worst, there’s a lack of transparency about what exactly visitors will—and will not—see and experience, with wild claims of “90% totality” and similar, something that does not exist.

Many of the common misconceptions about the eclipse appear to be rampant among the very people planning and promoting events.

To make matters worse, some journalists are amplifying errors and fictional claims either by not checking the facts.

You owe it to yourself to experience a total solar eclipse if you possibly can. But the travel industry doesn’t.

The solution? Check, check check— and study the “Map of Nope.”

Each day, I receive several press releases from cities, tourism agencies and hotels across the U.S. wanting me to include their destination in one of my guides to the best places for the total solar eclipse. All too often, the location being promoted is close to, but not actually in, the path of totality—that 115-mile-wide track of the moon’s central shadow that you must be inside to experience darkness in the day and to see the sun’s corona with your naked eyes.

That’s the entire point of a total solar eclipse, yet few in the travel industry appear to realize. Anyone can see whether their home, hotel or event is inside the path of totality by checking this interactive Google Map. These websites are also very useful. Some in the travel industry appear not to be using any of them.

It’s a missed opportunity to be a great host and create a fabulous day for guests—instead of the absolute opposite.

Here are just a few examples, from Texas to Newfoundland, of the travel industry’s mistakes.

Being outside of the path of totality in a “99% location” or beyond is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, a hotel a short drive from the path of totality is logistically a good place to stay. An eclipse chaser can stay there two nights, getting up early on April 8 to drive north or south into the path.

This is what hoteliers with knowledge are promoting. For example, Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa in Aurora, Western New York, will get a 99.98% partial solar eclipse. Is it having a party on the premises to celebrate? No, it is not—because it knows that only in the path of totality can totality be experienced. So its Solar Eclipse Package includes eclipse glasses, a take-home Chakra-aligning crystal kit (whatever that is) and, crucially, transport to take guests to the