Eclipseville, USA

It all starts with getting around. When you look at how Hopkinsville, Kentucky—population 33,203—plans to host up to 100,000 people, the first problem to tackle is transportation. On August 21st, this area about 60 miles from Bowling Green will be the best place in North America to watch the first total solar eclipse unique to the United States since 1776.

Entering in Oregon and exiting from South Carolina, the eclipse path will cut a band of complete darkness 70 miles wide. Everyone on the continent will get to see at least a partial eclipse. But the point of greatest eclipse—where the axis of the moon's shadow cone will pass closest to the Earth and give watchers 2 minutes and 40 seconds of “totality”—will be near Hopkinsville, bringing thousands of eclipse-chasers with it.