Get ready, Hoosiers: the coolest astronomical event for the next 20 years (at least in the United States) will be here in just a few months, and we get a front-row seat to it just for living here. As I'm sure you've heard 5,000 times by now, Indiana will experience a total solar eclipse - and it'll be quite a long time before it happens here again. Let's get ready for Solar Eclipse 2024, Indiana (I capitalized it... so it's an official holiday now)! This is the last chance you'll have to witness one here, at home, probably for this lifetime - the next total solar eclipse in the United States isn't until August 2044.

Of course, you should never view the sun without eye protection - but one of the coolest things about a total solar eclipse is that during totality - when it's at 100% - you can take the special viewing glasses off and look around - which I STRONGLY suggest you do.

This is easily one of the coolest things you'll ever experience in this life - it's like nothing else. It is truly a one-of-a-kind adventure, at least for this lifetime.

Trust me: I drove to Utah to experience 90% totality back in October 2023, and it was an incredible experience.

I went to the Valley of the Gods (pictured above) and took in an incredible scene, but fascinatingly, even with just 10% of the earth's rays shining on us, there was still a significant amount of light in the sky.

The best way I can describe it is that everything got dimmer and gradually took on a strange, bluish hue that I'll never forget. This time, however, daylight will turn into twilight.

...and if you live in Indiana, congratulations: you don't need to go anywhere to experience this one! Totality will move through a straight, narrow path shortly after 3 p.m., and there are plenty of awesome viewing points all throughout.

The map below shows all the towns in Indiana that will experience totality.

Need some ideas about where to go to watch?

Well, first and foremost, if you're in the path of totality the best place to watch is from your own backyard. No crowds, no traffic, and best of all, the safest way to do it because of those first two things.

However, heading to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to watch isn't a terrible idea - just arrive early. Very early. Get tickets ASAP!

There's also an awe-inspiring Eclipse Viewing Festival in Indiana at Butler University.

There are also numerous parks and rec areas open for this event (to which you'll also have to arrive very early for the best experience).

Some of these include Brown County State Park, which will see totality for three minutes, 56 seconds, Monroe Lake, which will see totality for four minutes, three seconds, and many more. Check out the handy-dandy list on the official Indiana DNR website.

Of course, your best bet for this is also to be flexible - car camping is helpful - as you might need to make a very quick change of plans if there's cloud cover and you still want to catch it. Keep an eye on satellite data to track cloud cover and reposition as needed.

Oh, and one more very important thing: eclipse glasses. Do not try to view the sun without them! Even at 90% annularity, the sun is incredibly powerful and very dangerous to the eye. The only time it's safe to look at the sun without these glasses is during totality - and remember, you've only got a narrow window, so be mindful!

Planning to travel to the path of totality in Indiana? Have the ultimate road trip with our Road Trip Packing List, then find a place to stay (as soon as possible!) from our friends at Booking.com, VRBO, and Hotels.com.

What are your plans for the eclipse? Let me know!