The city of Midland and surrounding areas are gearing up for an upcoming annular solar eclipse. Visit Midland, an organization that promotes Midland as a tourist destination, announced that residents and visitors will have an ideal position to view the eclipse this weekend.
"Midland is perfectly positioned for eclipse watching," Visit Midland stated in a Facebook post on October 8th. "Join us as we fix our gaze toward the sky for [an] Annular Solar Eclipse on October 14th."
To enhance the eclipse-viewing experience, Visit Midland mentioned that the Blakemore Planetarium and the Museum of the Southwest will be hosting an Eclipse Day event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additionally, the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) in Odessa will have a free all-day event on campus to celebrate the natural phenomenon.
UTPB has been recognized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as one of the best places in the country to view the eclipse. The university will host a viewing party at the Quad and the Mesa Deck starting at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the eclipse between 10:18 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. After the eclipse passes over, UTPB will continue the festivities with STEAMFest from 2 to 5 p.m.
Local businesses in the tourist and hospitality industries are optimistic about the economic impact of the eclipse. They hope that the event will not only attract visitors this weekend but also have a lasting effect on tourism in the area.
The annular solar eclipse will surely be a spectacular event for residents and visitors in Midland and the surrounding areas. With various viewing events and the promise of a positive economic impact, excitement is building as the date approaches.