A SPECTACULAR SIGHT THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR YEARS TO COME.

GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FORTUNING IN FOR ECLIPSE 2024 A KET SPECIAL REPORT.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

COMING TO YOU FROM PADUCAH IN WESTERN KENTUCKY WHICH WAS IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY FOR TODAY'S SOLAR ECLIPSE.

THE MOON WAS DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE EARTH AND THE SUN FOR ROUGHLY TWO MINUTES.

BRIEFLY TURNING DAY INTO NIGHT.

THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE FASTEST TWO MINUTES IN SPORTS.

FOR US HERE, THIS WAS THE COOLEST TWO MINUTES IN THE SKY.

KENTUCKY WAS ONE OF 15 STATES IN THE U.S. TO BE IN THE PATH OF TOTAL DARKNESS.

THE LAST TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE FROM NORTH AMERICA WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO IN 2017.

KENTUCKY WAS IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY FOR THAT ONE AS WELL.

BUT THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER SOLAR ECLIPSE WITH A PATH OF TOTALITY IN THE U.S. FOR ANOTHER TWO DECADES.

FROM HARDCORE SCIENTISTS TO BACKYARD ENTHUSIASTS AND MY DRO BREWERIES IT SEEMS LIKE THE COUNTRY WAS ANTICIPATING TODAY'S EVENT.

OVER THE NEXT 30 MINUTES WE'LL DISCUSS HOW THE ECLIPSE IS IMPACTING PLACES LIKE HERE IN PADUCAH AND WHAT EXPERTS ARE LOOKING FOR DURING THIS RARE PHENOMENON.

THAT BEGINS WITH NASA WHICH LAUNCHED ROCKETS DURING TODAY'S ECLIPSE ALL FOR THE SAKE OF SCIENCE.

OUR CHRISTY DUTTON FINDS OUT WHAT NASA HOPES TO LEARN FROM THE ECLIPSE EXPERIMENTS AND HOW WE MAY BENEFIT DOWN HERE ON EARTH.

>> MANY OF US WILL HAVE OUR SIGHTS SET ON THE SKY SCIENTISTS WILL HAVE THEIR SIGHTS ON DISCOVERING SOMETHING NEW.

JOINING US NOW IS Dr. LISA WINTER FROM NASA.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

OKAY, WHAT IS NASA HOPING TO FIND OUT FROM THE CELESTIAL EVENT?

>> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS GOING ON DURING THE ECLIPSE TO STUDY THE SOLAR CORONA.

WE CAN STUDY THE INNER SOLAR CORONA WHICH YOU CANNOT SEE EXCEPT DURING AN ECLIPSE AND WE ARE GOING TO STUDY IRONIC ATMOSPHERE EFFECTS AN OUTER LAYER OF THE ATMOSPHERE THAT CONDUCTS ELECTRICITY VERY IMPORTANT TO SPACE WEATHER.

AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS GOING TO STUDY BOTH OF THOSE PHENOMENA.

>> HOW DO YOU STUDY THE ION IS FER?

>> WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT EXPERIMENT THAT IS GOING TO SEND UP THREE ROCKETS FROM VIRGINIA.

THE ROCKETS ARE GOING TO GO UP BEFORE THE ECLIPSE, SLIGHTLY BEFORE THE ECLIPSE, DURING THE ECLIPSE AND AFTER THE ECLIPSE THEY WILL HAVE SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD THAT SEPARATES AND MEASURES THE TEMPERATURE AND THE DENSITY IN THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE ION ATMOSPHERE AND THEY ARE COORDINATING IT WITH BALLOONS.

THERE WILL BE BALLOONS AND ROCKET PAYLOADS THAT ARE GOING TO TRACK TEMPERATURES AND DENSITIES AND LOOK FOR RIPPLES IN THE ION THIS ATMOSPHERE DURING THE ECLIPSE.

>> HOW ABOUT THAT HELP US?

>> YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO THE IONIC ATMOSPHERE IS IMPORTANT TO SPACE WEATHER IF THERE IS A SOLAR STORM, IT CAUSES BASICALLY, A CURRENT THROUGH THE ION IS FER THAT CAN INDUCE CURRENTS FURTHER DOWN.

ANY LONG CONDUCTING WIRE LIKE OUR POWER GRIDS OR OIL PIPELINES THEY ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY SOLAR STORMS AND THESE CURRENTS THAT ARE IN THAT ATMOSPHERE THEY CAN CAUSE BLACKOUTS THERE'S BEEN A REALLY WIDESPREAD BLACKOUT IN 1989 THAT WAS CAUSED BY A SOLAR STORM.

AND SO WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS BETTER.

ALSO THE EYE ON IS FER IS IMPORTANT FOR HIGH FREQUENCY COMMUNICATIONS IF AIRCRAFT ARE FLYING OVER THE OCEAN THEY NEED TO USE THE ION IS ATMOSPHERE TO COMMUNICATE.

THEY CAN HAVE BLACKOUTS AND THIS RESEARCH WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND ALL OF THOSE EFFECTS BETTER.

>> Renee: THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE U.S. IS NOT UNTIL 2044.

THESE EXPERIMENTS ARE A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR NASA SCIENTISTS TO COLLECT DATA THAT COULD PREDICT DISRUPTIONS IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS.

>>> COMPARING THE PATH OF TOTALITY FROM 2017 TO 2024.

PADUCAH IS THE CENTER OF THE X AS THOSE PATHS CRISSCROSSED THE COUNTRY.

HENCE THE NAME X MARKS THE SPOT.

CLEVER.

THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT HOSTING VENDORS EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES.

OUR LAURA ROGERS SHOWS US HOW THE CITY IS CELEBRATING THIS HISTORIC EVENT.

>> WE'RE IN KENTUCKY IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> FROM TOURISTS TO LOCALS.

>> I LIVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FROM HERE.

>> THE 4H CLUB.

>> THAT CAN PAINT A ROCKET THEY HAVE A ROCKET TO TAKE HOME.

>> TO THE LIBRARY.

>> WE'RE DOING MAKE YOUR OWN ECLIPSE BOOK MARKS.

THEY ARE ALL ON THE SAME MISSION.

>> TO SEE THE SOLAR ECLIPSE WITH MY FAMILY.

>> THIS IS 100% TOTALITY.

PADUCAH, KENTUCKY.

>> HOSTING A TWO-DAY STREET FESTIVAL WITH ECLIPSE THEMED JEWELRY, ART, BUTTONS AND HEAD WEAR.

>> IT IS MY FIRST TIME VIEWING ONE I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE PATH BEFORE.

>> AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCESSORY OF ALL.

Mr. SCIENCE HIMSELF, METEOROLOGIST JASON TEACHING KIDS THE PROPER WEAR TO WEAR THOSE GLASSES TO PROTECT THEIR EYES.

>> DO NOT TAKE OFF YOUR SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES WHILE LOOKING.

>> LOCAL ART SIFT OF ACTIVITIES SAY THE ECLIPSE IS INTRODUCING THEIR TALENTS TO A NEW AUDIENCE.

>> THE TOURISTS WHEN THEY THINK OF WESTERN KENTUCKY THEY THINK OF KENTUCKY LAKE.

GETTING EVERYBODY INTO PADUCAH AND SEEING OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN IS GOING TO BE A BIG PUSH FOR THE CITY.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS HERE IN PADUCAH THAT ARE CREATED BY ARTISTS AND WHAT IS FUN ABOUT THE ECLIPSE IS THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO CREATE THIS.

THIS IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON.

I REMEMBER AS A CHILD SEEING HALEY A COMET.

>> IT WILL BE 20 YEARS BEFORE ANOTHER SOLAR ECLIPSE CAN BE SEEN FROM THE U.S. >> ONCE IN A LIFETIME.

>> FOR KENTUCKY EDITION I'M LAURA ROGERS.

>> I KNOW I WON'T BE HERE IT'S 20 YEARS AWAY.

2044 I THINK I WILL MISS THAT ONE.

>> THE PADUCAH CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU SAYS THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ESTIMATES 150,000 PEOPLE ARE IN WESTERN KENTUCKY FOR THE ECLIPSE.

THEY HAVE RECORDED GUESTS FROM 22 STATES, PLUS CANADA AND POLAND.

>>> WHILE TOURISTS ARE IN PADUCAH FOR THE ECLIPSE MANY WILL VISIT THE NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM THE THEME CONTINUES AS THEY CAN ADMIRE SPESES THAT -- PIECES THAT TELL THE STORY OF SPACE EXPLORATION.

LAURA ROGERS SPOKE WITH A QUILTER WHOSE WORK IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.

>> LET'S BEGIN WITH YOUR INTEREST IN SPACE EXPLORATION AND YOUR CAREER AS AN ASTRONAUT HOW DID THAT GET STARTED FOR YOU?

>> I DECIDED WHEN I WAS YOUNG I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT.

I WAS LIKE EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD.

>> THE DOCTOR'S CHILDHOOD DREAM WOULD BECOME A REALITY.

>> SITTING ON THE LAUNCH PAD KNOWING I'M FINALLY DOING WHAT I WORKED FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE.

>> HER FIRST FINAL IN OUTERSPACE.

A 14-DAY MISSION.

>> APPRECIATING BEING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AND SEEING EARTH FROM SPACE.

>> SHE WOULD LATER SPEND FIVE-AND-A-HALF MONTHS ONBOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

>> EVERY SECOND OF IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

>> SHE IS REFLECTING HOW SHE DEVELOPED ANOTHER INTEREST ONE THAT WOULD BE A CREATIVE OUTLET DURING HER TIME IN ENGINEERING SCHOOL.

>> MY MOM TAUGHT ME TO SEW BEFORE I SAID I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT.

MORE OF A PASSION FOR ME WHEN I WAS GROWING UP THAN BEING AN ASTRONAUT WAS CREATING THINGS, SEWING, DRAWING, CRAFTS.

>> WHILE ON THE INTERNET SPACE STATION IN 2013, SHE SHARED VIDEOS OF HERSELF QUILTING IN SPACE.

>> MAKES SEWING IN SPACE TRICKY.

>> SHE BROUGHT FABRIC AND THREAD AND NEEDLES AND DID VIDEOS STITCHING A QUILT BLOCK ON THE SPACE STATION AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT IN ZERO GRAPH ACTIVE.

>> STITCHING A STAR THEME TO QUILT SQUARE AND INVITING OTHERS TO JOIN.

>> NASA AND QUILT INC.

PUT OUT A CALL FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT A QUILT BLOCK.

WE WILL MAKE A QUILT OUT OF THE BLOCKS WE RECEIVE.

AND IT WILL CONTAIN THE BLOCK I MADE IN SPACE.

THEY RECEIVED 2400 BLOCKS.

>> THAT WAS ENOUGH TO CLOSE TO 30 QUILTS INCLUDING SUBMISSIONS FROM PADUCAH HOME TO THE NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM.

>> IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE THOSE NAMES AND SEE PADUCAH KENTUCKY LISTED IN THESE QUILTS HANGING IN THE EXHIBITION.

>> THE MUSEUM IS HOSTING A SPECIAL DISPLAY OF KAREN'S WORK CALLED THE STARS ARE ALIGNED FEATURING HER TEXTILE PIECES AND ART QUILTS WHICH SHE CALLS A COMBINATION OF HER LONG FOR DRAWING AND QUILTINGS.

>> WE HAVE LOVING HAVING KAREN'S SUBMISSIONS HERE AT THE QUILT MUSEUM.

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE AS AN ASTRONAUT AND QUILTER AND BOTH CAN DO THINGS AS WELL AS HIGH PROFILE JOBS.

>> IT'S ALL IN CORRELATION WITH THE TIMING OF THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.

THE MUSEUM CELEBRATING WITH OTHER SPACE-THEMED QUILTS THEY HOPE WILL APPEAL TO GUESTS IN TOWN FOR THEIR INTEREST IN SCIENCE, SPATE AND HISTORIC EVENTS.

>> HAVING AN EXHIBITION OF SOME OF OUR QUILTS THAT FIT THAT THEME MAY DRAW THEM FURTHER INTO QUILTING AND OPEN OUR DOORS TO NEW AUDIENCES BUT ALSO OPEN THE MINDS OF SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE TO WHAT THE WORLD OF QUILTING HAS TO OFFER AND WHAT ALL PEOPLE CAN MAKE WITH FABRIC AND THREAD.

>> PEOPLE LIKE KAREN WHO HAS USED HER TALENTS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE SHE ADMIRES INCLUDING SALLY RIDE.

>> I WAS INTERESTED WHEN SALLY RIDE TOOK HER FLIGHT BECAUSE SHE WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO GO.

>> AND NOW SHE IS INFLUENCING FUTURE GENERATIONS TO SHOOT FOR THE STARS AND LET THEIR CREATIVITY SHINE.

>> KAREN'S EXHIBITION IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO SHOWCASE THAT AND JUST HAVE PEOPLE GO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ASTRONAUTS WERE QUILTERS OR THAT YOU COULD DO THIS IN SPACE AND IT OPENS THE BRAIN AND GETS YOU EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES CAN BE.

>> Renee: THE STARS ARE ALIGNED IS ON DISPLAY THROUGH JULY 30TH.

KAREN VISITS THE MUSEUM FOR QUILT WEEK APRIL 25 AND 26.

HEAD BACK THIS WAY.

>>> ECLIPSE CHASERS TRAVEL THE EARTH IN A QUEST FOR DAYTIME DARKNESS THAT STARTED WITH THE COSMIC DANCE BETWEEN THE MOON AND THE SUN.

AND ONE STARGAZER WAS READY TO GO THE DISTANCE FOR THE SHOW.

>> THEY ARE MAGIC.

IT GIVES YOU A SCALE WHAT THE SOLAR SYSTEM IS LIKE.

IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT.

>> DAVID SHIELDS SAW HIS FIRST ECLIPSE AT THE AGE OF SEVEN.

>> I'M WITH MY SERIAL BOX GIZMO LIKE MY TEACHERS TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO.

>> AND HE HAS BEEN LOOK WILL HOOKED EVER SINCE.

>> SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE I'VE SEEN ONE I DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK.

AND OTHERS I NEED TO SEE MORE OF THESE.

I'M ONE OF THOSE GUYS.

>> HIS SEVENTH ECLIPSE AND THIRD TOTAL AND FOR THE ECLIPSE CHASER THAT IS THE BEST CATCH.

>> THE TOTALS ARE A LOT DIFFERENT.

IT'S AN OTHER WORLDLY EXPERIENCE.

>> AND THIS WILL BE MORE OF A CELESTIAL SIGHT TO SEE.

>> SOMETIMES YOU LOOK AT THE SUN AND IT'S FEATURELESS YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING NO SOLAR FLAIRS NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE IN AN ACTIVE PERIOD OF THE SUN AND IT MAKES THE ECLIPSE MORE INTERESTING.

>> SHIELDS IS HE KEEPS HIS EYE TO THE SKY USING TELESCOPES HE MADE HIMSELF.

>> I LEARNED HOW TO DO IT AND THEY ARE ALL THE SAME DESIGN.

ISAAC NEWTON INVENTED THE TELESCOPE.

AND THE REST OF IT IS JUST CARPENTRY PROJECT.

I'M GOOD AT MAKING BOXES.

>> SO GOOD THAT HE MADE FIVE TELESCOPES AND MODIFIED CAMERAS.

>> COOL OPTICS IN IT.

AND YOU CAN'T BEAT FREE.

>> BUT HE STILL ENJOYS SHARING UNIQUE WAYS TO SHOWCASE THE SOLAR SPECTACLE.

>> DURING AN ECLIPSE AND CLEAR SKIES YOU SEE CRESCENTS.

SIMPLE.

AND YOU CAN HAVE SPAGHETTI AND AVOID THE TRAFFIC JAM.

IT'S WIN-WIN.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO ECLIPSE CHASING HE LIVES BY ONE RULE.

>> SEEK OUT CLEAR SKIES ON THE PATH NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

>> HE IS READY TO GO THE DISTANCE TO DO JUST THAT.

>> I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

IF I HAVE TO RIDE IN A CAR FOR 13 HOURS I WILL RIDE IN THE CAR FOR 13 HOURS.

>> HIS FASCINATION MAY TAKE HIM MUCH FARTHER AWAY FOR THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.

>> I THINK IT'S COOL.

I MIGHT GO TO SPAIN IN TWO YEARS.

I'M HARDCORE.

>> WE CHECKED IN WITH DAVID SHIELDS TO SEE WHAT LOCATION HE CHOSE.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR FOR A CLEAR SKY FORECAST.

HE DROVE A COUPLE OF HOURS UP THE ROAD TO INDIANA TO THE CENTER OF THE PATH OF TOTALITY.

A SOLAR ECLIPSE IS AN EVENT MANY EXPERIENCE THROUGH SIGHT.

BUT A DEVICE DEVELOPED AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY IS ALLOWING THOSE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED TO EXPERIENCE THE EVENT AS WELL.

BY TRANSLATING CHANGES IN LIGHT INTO SOUNDS.

>> INCLUSIVITY MEANS THAT EVERYBODY IS PART OF SOMETHING.

AND IN SCIENCE WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO DO SCIENCE, TO LEARN SCIENCE AND TO EXPERIENCE SCIENCE.

TO APPRECIATE SCIENCE.

IN THE CASE OF AN ECLIPSE IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS VISUALLY THEY MAY FEEL EXCLUDED IN A WAY.

AND THROUGH THIS THEY CAN BE PART OF THE EXPERIENCE.

>> THE GREAT AMERICAN SO ARE LAR ECLIPSE HAPPENED IN THE U.S. AND AROUND THAT TIME, I WAS THINKING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY A COLLABORATOR.

ME IS A BLIND ASTRONOMER AND WE CONNECTED TALKING ABOUT LAB ACCESSIBILITY BUT IT HAPPENED TO BE THE SUMMER WHEN EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT SOLAR ECLIPSES AND IT CAME INTO OUR CONVERSATION WE WERE THINKING IS THERE A WAY WE COULD MAKE THE SOLAR ECLIPSE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR LOW VISION USING SOUND.

THE CONCEPT CAME TO BE FROM THAT CONVERSATION AND WE BUILT THREE DEVICES FOR THE 2017 ECLIPSE.

ONE WAS AT THE KENTUCKY SCHOOL OF BLIND AND ONE IN WYOMING AND ONE AT MORE HED STATE UNIVERSITY.

>> TO BRING THESE HERE AND THERE WERE OTHER SCIENTISTS WHO HAD THE DEVICES IN THE PATH OF THE TOTALITY.

HEARING MOREHEAD IT WAS 97%.

SO THEY WANTED TO COLLECT DATA FROM DIFFERENT POINTS.

AND SEE WHETHER THE DEVICE WILL ACTUALLY WORK.

AND IT DID.

[♪♪] THE DEVICE HAS A LIGHT DETECTOR AND A LITTLE MINI COMPUTER INSIDE AND IT ESSENTIALLY CONVERTS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT INTO MUSIC.

SO WE HAVE OUR ECLIPSE.

[♪♪] AND YOU HEAR IT GETTING LOWER PITCHED.

[♪♪] AND THAT WILL REPRESENT THE DARKEST PART.

>> WHEN WE THINK OF ECLIPSES OR ASTRONOMY YOU THINK OF VISUALLY STRIKING IMAGES BUT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO INTERPRET THE IMAGES.

IN FACT, A LOT OF THE IMAGES WE SEE ON-LINE ARE WAVELENGTHS THAT OUR EYE CANNOT SEE.

AN X RAY OR UV.

>> MY PURPOSE IS THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING PEOPLE REALIZE YOU KNOW, WE CAN INCLUDE PEOPLE IN THE EVENT IF WE THINK CAREFULLY AND PLAN AHEAD AND DO SOMETHING.

>> SO THE DEVICE HAS TWO DESIGNS.

UP WITH WE CALL WIRED AND ONE WE CALLED A PCB.

>> THE GRANT PAID FOR THE COMPONENTS, FOR THE PROGRAMMING, FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION TO BE FREE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HOW THE WIRES GO, THE LIST OF COMPONENTS, THE SOFTWARE SO THAT IF YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE, YOU CAN BUILD THEM OR YOU CAN SEND THEM ALREADY PREBUILT.

AND PREPROGRAMMED TO ALL OF THESE PLACES.

>> THESE WORKSHOPS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE IN THAT ARE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT IN SOME WAY.

IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO TEACH PEOPLE A NEW SKILL AND THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES BY HELPING US BUILD THE DEVICES AND WE'RE DONATING THE DEVICES BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY IT IS A SUPER REWARDING PROJECT AND IT'S BEEN AWESOME TO SEE HOW MUCH PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES ARE READY TO JUMP IN AND HELP THIS PROJECT AND THIS EFFORT.

>> Renee: THE LIGHT-SOUND PROJECT IS ASKING PEOPLE TO SEND IN DATA THEY COLLECTED DURING THE EVENT WITH PHOTOS VIDEOS AND STORIES OF THEIR ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE.

IT WILL BE PLACED ON A SITE WHERE ANYONE CAN GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ECLIPSES.

PRETTY COOL.

>>> SCIENTISTS FROM THE KENTUCKY MESONET AND CLIMATE CENTER WERE TRACKING WEATHER CHANGES CREATED BY THE ECLIPSE.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM IN BALLARD COUNTY ALSO IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY.

>> EARTH IS IN A UNIQUE PLACE TO SEE ECLIPSES BECAUSE THE EARTH IS JUST THE RIGHT DISTANCE FROM THE SUN, THE MOON IS THE RIGHT SIZE AND IF ANY OF THOSE THINGS CHANGED WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE THE ECLIPSE WE DO TODAY.

>> THIS IS THE SPOT IN KENTUCKY THAT WILL HAVE THE LONGEST DURATION IN TOTALITY THIS AFTERNOON.

TWO:45.

2:45.

THE MOON COMPLETELY COVERING THAT SUN.

>> THERE IS A LOT WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE ATMOSPHERE RESPONDS TO SOLAR RADIATION.

AND ECLIPSES ARE UNIQUE BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE LIKE A QUICK WINDOW OF NIGHT.

AND SO IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WE CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY THE ATMOSPHERE RESPONDS TO THOSE CHANGES AND SOLAR RADIATION.

>> WE HAVE THREE TEMPORARY MESONET STATIONS ONE IS ON THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THE CROSS.

AND WE ARE MEASURING DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE AFTERNOON DURING PEAK TIME FOR THIS ECLIPSE ONING WITH THE TEMPERATURE.

WE SAW A DROP IN SURFACE TEMPERATURES BACK IN 2017 DURING THAT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE EVENT ESPECIALLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND SOUTHERN KENTUCKY.

WE'RE ALSO MEASURING WIND SPEED ALONG WITH WIND DIRECTION THAT COULD CHANGE ESPECIALLY AS THE SUN BECOMES OBSCURED RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS BEING MEASURED.

SOLAR RADIATION WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE A BIG DIP IN THAT THIS AFTERNOON AND TAKING IN SOME MOISTURE MEASUREMENTS TO TWO CENTIMETERS BELOW THE SURFACE.

PART OF THIS IS FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.

WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AFTER THE FACT AND SHE HOW MUCH THESE WEATHER PARAMETERS CHANGED DURING THE COURSE OF THE ECLIPSE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PARTIAL PHASE TO TOTALITY TO THE END OF THE PARTIAL PHASE.

>> WE'VE DEPLOYED THREE TEMPORARY STATIONS HERE IN BALLARD COUNTY AND DIFFERENT SPOTS AROUND THE COUNTY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING IS JUST HOW THE ECLIPSE IMPACTS THOSE STATIONS DIFFERENTLY.

SOME ARE LOCATED HERE NEXT TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

OTHERS ARE LOCATED INLAND AND WHAT WE'LL SEE IS IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW THEY RESPOND TO THE ECLIPSE.

THEY ARE EACH IN A DIFFERENT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE WITH DIFFERENT SOIL MOISTURE, DIFFERENT VEGETATION AND WHAT IMPACTS THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND SOME OF THE WIND CHANGES WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE WHEN THE ECLIPSE HAPPENS.

>> Renee: THE KENTUCKY MESONET IS 83 PERMANENT WEATHER OBSERVATION STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. THAT GATHER REALTIME WEATHER, WATER AND CLIMATE DATA.

YOU CAN SEE THE WEATHER DATA COLLECTED DURING THE ECLIPSE AT KYNESS NET.ORG.

EVEN LOCAL BREWERIES WERE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TODAY'S ECLIPSE.

LAST OCTOBER THE SIMONS FOUNDATION APPROACHED BREWERIES IN THE U.S.

INCLUDING TWO IN KENTUCKY AND ASKED THEM TO MAKE ECLIPSE BEERS.

DRY GROUND BREWING AND HENDERSON BREWING COMPANY PARTNERED TO MAKE TWO SPECIAL BEERS TO CELEBRATE THIS ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENON.

>> PADUCAH WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY FOR THE 2017 ECLIPSE AND AT THAT TIME WE BREWED A SPECIAL BEER FOR THE EVENT THAT TIME IT WAS YOU WILLED UMBRA.

A DARKER BEER TO TIE IN WITH THE ECLIPSE.

THIS TIME WHEN IT CAME AROUND WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE 150EU78 MONTHS FOUNDATION TO TRAVEL UP THERE AND THEY HAD CHOSEN BREWERIES IN EACH STATE THAT WAS ON THE PATH OF TOTALITY IN KENTUCKY SINCE WE HAD SMALLER BREWERIES THEY CHOSE TWO DRY GROUND AND HENDERSON BREWING COMPANY.

SO DOUG AND I FROM HENDERSON WENT TO NEW YORK CITY AND MET WITH THE SIMON FOUNDATION WITH A DOZEN OF OTHER BREWERIES ALONG THE PATH WHO WERE GOING TO BE INVOLVED.

DOUG AND I DECIDED WELL, WE'VE GOT THIS BEER WE BREWED BEFORE FOR THE 2017 ECLIPSE, WHY DON'T WE DO THAT AS A CO-LAB.

YOU COME TO OUR SPACE AND WE'LL BREW THAT.

AND WE'LL GO TO HENDERSON AND BREW A BLOND VERSION OF THAT.

>> SO THE BEER REBREWED THE 2:00 PM IS BREWED WITH LACTOSE SUGAR, AND A LOCAL COFFEE ROASTER.

WE USED THEIR BEANS.

IT'S A DARK BEER NOT SUPER HIGH IN ALCOHOL AROUND 5.5%.

SO NOT SUPER HEAVY LIKE YOU EXPECT A LOTTED OF DARK BEERS.

SWEET, ROASTTY COFFEE FINISH.

THE LIGHT SIDE OF THAT BEING THE 202PM BETTER WE BREWED IN HENDERSON IS A BLOND STOUT BREWED SIMILARLY AS A NORMAL STOUT WHERE YOU THINK DARK BEER BUT WITH LIGHTER GRAINS.

THEY USED LOCAL COFFEE BEANS AND COCOA NIBS TO GIVE IT A CHOCOLATE FINISH AS WELL.

THE IDEA AROUND THE COLLABORATION BEING WE BREW THE DARK BEER THEY BREWED A LIGHT VERSION OF THAT BEER TO GO ALONG WITH THE ECLIPSE THE SUN AND THE MOON.

WE'D LOVE TO BRING IT BACK.

I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT ECLIPSE IS COMING MAYBE 150 YEARS BEFORE WE GET TO BREW IT AGAIN WE'D LOVE TO BREW IT AGAIN.

>> Renee: EACH BREWERY CHOSEN FROM STATES ALONG THE PATH OF TOTALITY NAMED THEIR SPECIAL ECLIPSE BEERS BASED ON THE TIME OF COMPLETE TOTALITY IN THEIR CITY.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES HAPPEN SOMEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD EVERY 11 TO 18 MONTHS BUT THEY DON'T OFTEN CROSS PATHS WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

ONCE TODAY'S ECLIPSE WAS OVER, WE ASKED PEOPLE TO SUM UP WHAT THEY SAW IN JUST A FEW WORDS.

>> IT WAS ABSOLUTELY WILD.

AS IT GETS LIKE DARKER AND DARKER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STREET LIGHTS COME ON BUT IT'S 2:00 P.M. AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE YOUR GLASSES OFF AND YOU SEE THIS INCREDIBLE THING BUT THERE'S NOTHING LIKE SEEING IT IN REAL-LIFE.

>> JUST ABSOLUTE LIKE JOY AND WHIMSY OF JUST SEEING IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT ESPECIALLY THROUGH TELESCOPE AND NAKED HIGH IT'S -- EYE IT'S WONDERFUL.

>> I DON'T THINK I COULD DESCRIBE IT.

YOU DO HAVE TO SEE THE FULL ECLIPSE IN-PERSON TO TELL HOW COOL IT IS.

IT'S LIKE WHAT YOU SEE IN PICTURES BUT NOT FROM PICTURES FROM YOUR FRIENDS.

DON'T TRUST THE iPHONE PHOTOS THE REAL DEAL IS VERY COOL.

[APPLAUSE] [CHEERING] >> IT WAS KIND OF SURREAL.

IT WAS GREAT BEING HERE KNOWING THAT YOU ARE SEEING SOMETHING THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING.

AND THAT PEOPLE FROM MANY, MANY GENERATIONS WATCHED.

>> MY HEART IS RACING.

IT WAS SUPER CRAZY EXPERIENCE.

EVERYTHING GOT DARK.

I PICTURED PEOPLE LIKE THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING LIKE I CANNOT IMAGINE THIS HAPPENING WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THE MOON WAS IN FRONT OF THE SUN IT WAS SUPER COOL.

>> INTERESTING EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY SPIRITUAL, BUT EMOTIONAL.

AND YOU PHYSICALLY FEEL THE TEMPERATURE CHANGE AND THE QUIETNESS AND I'M GLAD WE DID IT.

>> WOW.

>> WHOA.

>> I FOUND IT SO SOOTHING IT WAS SO PEACEFUL, CALMING.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE.

I'VE BEEN WAITING A LONGTIME FOR IT TO HAPPEN.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT PADUCAH WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THE TOTALITY AND WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT, I KNEW I HAD TO BE HERE.

>> THAT DOES IT FOR US HERE IN PADUCAH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING ECLIPSE 2024 A KET SPECIAL REPORT.

YOU CAN FIND MORE ECLIPSE COVERAGE INCLUDING NATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONTENT ON-LINE ON DEMAND AT KET.ORG.

KENTUCKY TONIGHT RETURNS NEXT MONDAY NIGHT AT 8 EASTERN WHERE WE WILL BREAKDOWN THE FINAL DAY OF THE 2024 KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN REGULAR SESSION.

UNTIL THEN CHECK OUT KENTUCKY EDITION EACH WEEKNIGHT AT 6:30 EASTERN, 530 CENTRAL HERE ON KET.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

I'M RENEE SHAW AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

[♪♪]