Indianapolis, IN
Tears and goosebumps as total eclipse watchers pack iconic Indianapolis Speedway
The Indianapolis Speedway is home to the Indy 500, the biggest single-day sporting event in the world.
Emotion in the stands here is not unusual, but the noise that came from the bleachers at 3.06pm was something completely different.
The nearly 50,000 spectators knew roughly what to expect, aware that at the period of totality the moon would completely obscure the sun, plunging the arena into darkness.
But first-time eclipse watchers were overcome by the feeling.
Many of them began to cry as the sky suddenly darkened, turning afternoon into night-time in a matter of minutes.
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‘Unbelievable’ – All the best eclipse moments
The air chilled and people cheered loudly as the final portion of the sun was extinguished by the shape of the moon. Some took pictures on their mobile phones but many simply absorbed the moment.
“It was eerie, I’ve never seen anything like it,” one woman tells me, wiping away tears. “You just had to be here.”
“I was crying because of that feeling of awe,” Archana Thakur says.
“I totally underestimated it. I had goosebumps. I only came because my husband and daughter wanted to come but I’m so pleased I did.”
Eyewitness: ‘Celestial serendipity’ – eclipse was a breathtaking and unifying moment
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She and her family drove five hours from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to be in the path of totality.
Her 10-year-old daughter, Sanvi, is a budding scientist and spent much of the day enjoying the NASA exhibitions temporarily dotted around the Speedway before watching the eclipse.
“It was breathtaking, majestic and once in a lifetime,” she tells me.
“I’m really interested in space so I researched a bit online but it was way more awesome than I expected.”
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As it happened: Eclipse live – Screams, weddings and tears
A budding astronomer peers through a telescope at the Indianapolis venue. Pic: AP
‘I definitely cried’
The total solar eclipse isn’t just a spectacle, it also offers scientists a rare opportunity to study its effects on the Earth.
John Waggle was at the Speedway leading a team of student scientists from Purdue University in Indianapolis.
An hour before the eclipse, they launched three weather balloons from the track more than 100,000ft into the sky.
They hope to collect data to assess how solar eclipses impact the Earth’s atmosphere, looking at radiation, temperature changes and pressure.
“I’ve seen a partial eclipse before,” John says.
“But seeing this one is completely different. It’s like watching a concert live versus on TV. You can’t replicate feeling the air cool off, the breeze whipping through, and seeing the stars.”
Pic: AP
His fellow student, Aubra Bailey, was similarly impressed. “It’s definitely the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen and probably ever will see,” she says.
People from all 50 states travelled to the speedway, with tickets sold in 21 different countries.
I saw toddlers and 90-year-old granddads waiting for the same moment of totality to arrive.
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“It’s a very bipartisan moment that we had here today,” one man says, as he makes his way to the exit.
“Everyone here was rooting for the same thing. In our country there’s a lot of bad things going on, but for one moment we were all together enjoying it.
“I definitely cried, I thought it was tears-worthy.”
The last eclipse in Indianapolis was in the 13th century. The next will be in 129 years so it was an experience to savour and one which, for many, will not be repeated.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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