The solar eclipse frenzy is escalating once again as the April 8 event draws near. This time, a good portion of the Delta region lies in the prime viewing area for totality.  

Much of Arkansas, Missouri’s Bootheel area and the far northwest corner of Tennessee figure to offer front row seats for the first total solar eclipse to traverse the U.S. since 2017. It will cross 13 states from Texas to Maine, entering Texas around 1:30 Central Time, according to NASA.  

More broadly, NASA said, the path will make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast, cross the United States, and exit North America via Newfoundland, Canada, continuing into the Atlantic Ocean. 

If you miss this one, there’s a considerable wait until the next one. NASA said the next total eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044.  

With hotels being sold out along the path of the eclipse, many are turning to campgrounds for prime viewing locations. RV rental companies are promoting their services for the event. An online campground booking company, Campspot, offers guidance for campers who want to secure a spot. 

I recall a similar eclipse mania during 2017. I was chief editor for a group of business publications based in South Carolina and observed the excitement.   

The state’s largest three cities, Charleston, Columbia and Greenville, spent considerable resources promoting themselves as centers for eclipse viewing. Their efforts proved fruitful, as an estimated 1.6 million people traveled throughout the state to see the eclipse. About half of those were from outside South Carolina.   

All of that travel provided an economic shot in the arm valued at nearly $270 million, according to the South Carolina Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. 

The State of Arkansas is making a similar effort to lure eclipse fans to the state. Tourism officials say the path of totality will stretch 100 miles across the state, touching 53 of the state’s 75 counties. The cities of Little Rock, Hot Springs, Texarkana, Conway and Jonesboro will have excellent vantage points.  

Many school systems in the state plan to close on April 8. Excitement is building, and the state even has an online clock counting down the minutes - https://www.arkansas.com/natural-state/eclipse. 

State officials have offered a wide range of estimates of visitors, from 300,000 to 1.5 million, according to published reports. 

Michael Zeiler, a geographer, and publisher of greatamericaneclipse.com, is more conservative in his estimates, pegging the potential number of visitors to Arkansas at 84,000 to 337,000. 

Glimpses of eclipses are fleeting. NASA estimates the viewing time in various areas of Arkansas will range from about two minutes to more than four minutes.  

Of course, preparation is required. To protect eyesight, NASA advises using safe solar viewing glasses or a safe handheld viewer at all times. Regular sunglasses are not suitable.