It would be hard to find a bigger solar eclipse fan than Charlie Steinhice, a 64-year-old BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee business analytics manager.
Steinhice traveled from Chattanooga to Williston, North Dakota, in 1979 to view his first solar eclipse, when he was a young man grieving his father's death from cancer. It was an experience, he said, that still resonates with him today.
"This is something that's near and dear to my heart," Steinhice, who plans to view the solar eclipse next month in Niagara Falls, New York, said in an interview. "My life changed that day for the better."
The 1979 road trip was the beginning of a lifelong quest to visit every county in America, Steinhice said. Now, 45 years later, Steinhice is closing in on his goal to visit all 3,144 counties (and equivalents), and he will knock off a few more on his trip to New York.
(READ MORE: Man on a mission to visit every county in America.)
In 2017, when another total eclipse brought the "path of totality" across the mid-South, Steinhice viewed the big event with friends in Edgar Evins State Park near Smithville, Tennessee.
The path of totality in the upcoming April 8 eclipse will run along a diagonal line stretching from Texas to Maine and will occur in most places during the early afternoon hours. Some cities along the path include Little Rock, Arkansas; Paducah, Kentucky; Evansville, Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York.
(READ MORE: Countdown begins for solar eclipse.)
The straightest line from Chattanooga to a vantage point in the path of totality would be perhaps Evansville (284 miles by car) or Paducah (267 miles). Both are about a five-hour car drive away. One of the most exciting spots to watch the eclipse might be the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500.
Steinhice said it's important to remember that total eclipses happen at odd intervals and the next opportunity to see one nearby will not come again until the mid 2040s, when one will be visible again in parts of the South.
If you are thinking about a trip to experience the eclipse next month, here are some tips from Steinhice, who thinks about these things a lot.
Why is it important to be in the path of totality?
The totality is the point when the moon completely obscures the sun. It lasts three or four minutes, depending on the location, but is by far the most magical way to experience a total eclipse.
"There is nothing like being in the path of totality," Steinhice said. "The sky has a look that you will never see anywhere else. ... It's almost primeval."
Should you bring a camera?
Yes, and no, Steinhice says. Yes, bring a camera for taking snapshots of the faces of friends and family reacting to the spectacle. But no, don't get so involved in the technical aspects of photographing the sky that you forget to experience the eclipse. Leave photographing the sun and moon to pros who actually know what they are doing, he said.
What about eye protection?
Yes, you will need special glasses to view the eclipse. And, no, regular sunglasses are not enough. Special "eclipse glasses" — available online — have filters that are many times more powerful than ordinary sunglasses.
"Issac Newton was temporarily blinded for three days when he used a mirror (to watch the eclipse)," Steinhice cautioned.
Steinhice said he purchased "eclipse glasses" online that fit over his ordinary glasses so he will have the added benefit of watching the eclipse with his prescription lenses.
What about traffic?
Steinhice said hotel rooms in cities along the path of totality have begun to sell out but you can still find accommodations nearby and drive in on eclipse day.
It pays to have a vantage point picked out and to account for traffic, which can be brutal near the best viewing locations. Plan to be in place hours early. Still, Steinhice said traffic may be mitigated some because the eastern U.S. experienced a total eclipse as recently as 2017.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645.