LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was just seven years ago when portions of western Kentucky experienced a solar eclipse.
Hopkinsville experienced the longest duration of the eclipse. The event brought more than 116,000 people to the small town with a population of about 30,000, located about 170 miles southwest of Louisville.
RELATED: These Kentucky, southern Indiana schools will be closed for the upcoming total solar eclipse
The hype surrounding the solar event even garnered the city the moniker “Eclipseville”.
Christian County officials said visitors traveled from 47 states, three U.S. territories, and dozens of countries.
On April 8, The Great American Eclipse of 2024 is inching closer to Louisville with skywatchers headed to French Lick and Bloomington in southern Indiana, and Indianapolis as they are in the path of totality.
Louisville isn’t so lucky this time, as we will only experience a deep partial solar eclipse. That means about 98.5% of the sun will be covered by the moon.
Remember you can pick up a free pair of WHAS11 solar eclipse glasses at any Eclipse Bank location.
When will Louisville experience a total solar eclipse?
Well, let’s just say none of us living in today’s world will be around. The Derby City will have its turn on Oct. 17, 2153.
Louisville will likely be a different city by then, and if horseracing is still around, it would be the year of the 279th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. This year is Derby 150.
The only other time Louisville experienced a total solar eclipse was in the 19th century -- 1869 to be exact.
There is a total solar eclipse somewhere on earth about once every 18 months. However that precise location will not experience another one for about 400 years.
We can only dream about the excitement this city will experience when it does finally happen.
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