Perry County prepares for thousands of eclipse watchers in 2017

PERRYVILLE, Mo. - Southeast Missourians should start dusting off their pinhole projectors: A total eclipse of the sun will make its way over the area Aug. 21, 2017. And while this once-in-a-lifetime event is exciting to many, people in Perry County, Missouri, are particularly enthusiastic, because out of the 12 states over which the eclipse will travel, they will have one of the longest views of the event.

"We're going to have two minutes and 40.1 seconds," said Trish Erzfeld, the director of Perry County Tourism and chairman of the Perry County Tourism Taskforce. "That is near maximum, by fractions of a second, as much as anyone will ever get in the total eclipse that's coming through here.

Erzfeld said the county is just along the line of totality, which is "where the magic happens." The moon moves directly in front of the sun, and blocks out the light, creating a golden ring called the corona.

"There are some places that only get 15 seconds of totality," Erzfeld said.

Don Ficken, chairman of the St. Louis Eclipse Task Force, said total eclipses like this, traveling over a dozen states, are rare. The last total eclipse in Perry County was in 1442, he said, and the next would be in 2505.

The extended view is expected to entice astronomy enthusiasts to the area, and though the number of people who will come is indeterminable, Erzfeld said 10,000 to 20,000 people could be drawn to Perry County for the event.

"For those that are really passionate about astronomy, they want to maximize their experience," she said.

Local businesses are preparing for an influx of enthusiastic astronomers. Amanda Winschel, executive director of the Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce, said local hotels have been made aware of the event and the potential influx of guests.

"Our hotels are aware, and we have plans in place to fill those," Winschel said. "We also have plans in place on how to fill our neighboring hotels and bus people in."

Local businesses also are on board with the astronomical event.

"We have wineries making vintage eclipse wines," Erzfeld said. "Jackson Street BrewCo will be preparing a special brew for the eclipse. Our coffee house will have a special coffee. People are getting excited within their businesses to get on board."

Viewing areas throughout the county will be arranged, with cooling stations and bathroom accommodations. Even the local airport is being marketed to those with the resources to use it, Erzfeld said.

Because of the efforts of the Perry County Eclipse Task Force, Erzfeld has been asked to present at the American Astronomical Society's U.S. Solar Eclipse 2017 Conference in Carbondale, Illinois, on June 10. She will detail how Perry County has been preparing for the influx of eclipse enthusiasts so it may serve as a model to other cities along the line of totality.

According to NASA's map of the solar eclipse's path, in Cape Girardeau the eclipse will last around one minute and 47 seconds, and Jackson will have nearly one minute and 50 seconds from start to end. So while a good view will be available, those who want to get the most out of the eclipse will make their way north.

As Dr. Michael L. Cobb, astronomer and physics professor at Southeast Missouri State University said in an email, "I myself will be in Perryville."