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Unless you’ve been completely off the grid lately, you’ve probably heard a little something about the upcoming solar eclipse. In a rare event on Monday, April 8, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun and appear to cover it completely, turning the sky dark and making the temperatures a little cooler. This time, the path of totality is going right through the United States – a fact which has some people eager to get a closer look.

According to The New York Times, nearly half of the Super 8 hotel chains located in the path of totality are sold out on April 7 and 8. And if they do have rooms available, the prices are out of this world. One location in Grayville, IL which usually goes for $95 per night is asking for $949 per night between Sunday and Tuesday.

But in case you were wondering why we should care about a few minutes of darkness in the daytime, we caught up with scientists and best friends Titi Shodiya, PhD and Zakiya Whatley, PhD, hosts of the Dope Labs podcast to talk about why this planetary event is so special and why we should all make time to check it out – with solar eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector to protect our eyes, of course.

It Doesn’t Happen Everyday

Ok, so eclipses happen. But they’re not always visible from the United States. According to Titi and Zakiya, while only people in the eclipse’s path of totality will experience complete darkness, you’ll have some degree of sun obscurity no matter where you are in the contiguous United States, which is pretty cool. You can click here to find out where and when you can experience the eclipse near you.

Although the darkness won’t last all day, you won’t have to worry about blinking and missing it completely. For example, in Buffalo, NY, the partial eclipse will begin at 2:04 pm ET, with totality lasting between 3:18 and 3:22. The partial eclipse will end at 4:32 pm ET.

“It’s not instant. It’s a slow process where it will cover and go back. There is like a 40-minute window in the path of totality that you can experience,” Titi said.

But if you miss this eclipse, the next one won’t happen until 2044.

It’s a Humbling Experience

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But it’s moments like a solar eclipse remind us that we are part of something bigger.

“I do think there is something about being able to consider yourself in the grand context of our universe and our solar system that is a humbling experience,” Zakiya said. “Besides, if you’re into astrology, I can’t believe you’re going to talk about your rising moon and you’re not going to watch this eclipse.

You’ll Be Part of a Shared Black Cultural Experience

You only have to spend a few minutes on Black Twitter after a major news event to see how much we love experiencing things together. Who could forget 2020 when posts about the Negro Solstice went viral? After Twitter user @lottidot suggested the government was using the COVID-19 vaccine to alter Black people’s genetic code, folks believed we’d all be getting superpowers on December 21.

The ladies of Dope Labs say they’re looking forward to seeing if the eclipse will have a similar impact on Black culture.

”We talk about these collective experiences across the diaspora. The same way grandmas would say thunder and lightning is the Lord doing his work, I want to know what that will look like in 2045 when the next eclipse happens. What will the next generation say about the eclipse?”

It’s a Good Excuse to Get Together With Friends and Family

There’s nothing like a once in a decade’s event to find a reason to hang out with the people you love spending time with the most. Titi and Zakiya are making their way to the path of totality to experience the total eclipse first-hand. They plan to stream the event on Instagram through both the Museum of Science and their Dope Labs accounts, so folks who aren’t in the path can share in the event. And while they’re watching, the friends say they will definitely be eating.

“With me and Zakiya, there’s always going to be food,” Titi said. “She’s a great cook and makes great recommendations for restaurants when we’re out. So I know there will be food involved.”

“We want to share as much as we can and talk people through the experience so they can feel like they’re there with us. It should be a lot of fun and a moment that we’ll never forget, I’m sure,” Zakiya said.