Officials in Hopkinsville, Kentucky have been working to make sure that when the lights go out during the coast-to-coast eclipse of August 21, the city's street lights don't simultaneously turn on potentially impacting visitors viewing experiences.
There are close to 6,000 street lights in the southern Kentucky city, where thousands of people have been expected to converge to watch the once in a life time solar event. On each one of those street lights is a photocell censor which turns a street light on when it gets dark outside.
The problem, come 1:24 p.m. on August 21, lights around the city will be fooled into thinking nightfall has come. Because of that Hopkinsville Electric will be turning off 45 street lights around the city's five official viewing parties.
"If you’re standing across the light here in total darkness, that light will definitely take away from your experience," said Jeff Hurd with Hopkinsville Electric.
