Millions of people are expected to travel to states that lie in the path of totality this spring to see the total solar eclipse that will happen on April 8.
In fact, the Great American Eclipse has developed a geographic model estimate of how many people will cross states for the solar event, predicting between 1 and 4 million people will travel to the path of totality. Texas will receive most visitors, according to the organization, followed by Indiana, Ohio, New York, Arkansas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Oklahoma, Maine, and New Hampshire.
“It will likely be the most-viewed astronomical event in American history,” says Michael Zeiler, expert eclipse cartographer and co-founder of Great American Eclipse. “When you combine the populations of Mexico, USA, and Canada that live inside the path of totality, and add all of those who will travel on eclipse day, a total of 50 million North Americans witnessing totality is possible.”
In contrast, the Super Bowl typically draws 80,000 people total. The upcoming solar event will be “like having 50 Super Bowls happening at the same time all across the country,” says Great American Eclipse Co-Founder Polly White.
Main Image: Solar eclipse; Credit: Unsplash/Jongsun Lee
