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What is a solar eclipse? NASA expert explains
We speak with NASA senior research scientist Dr. Eric Christian ahead of the total solar eclipse. LiveNOW from FOX | Raw & unfiltered news
Millions of Americans will head outside Monday to witness the phenomenon that will be the total solar eclipse.
About 32 million people live inside the 115-mile-wide swath of totality – where the moon will completely block out the sun – that stretches from southern Texas up through Ohio, then over to northern Maine.
But countless more who live outside that area are just as interested in making this occasion a special memory, data shows.
Lisa Miller is a consumer strategist and president of a marketing consulting firm in Texas that conducts hundreds of surveys every month. She’s found that nearly half of Americans say they’re craving more social connectivity with friends and family.
"We're still unwinding the unintended consequences from the pandemic," she told FOX Television Stations.
"People are craving social connections and joy more than ever, and they’re looking for opportunities to create moments and memories with people they care about," she said. She’s even written a book on this concept, and says the eclipse is creating that moment for us.
FILE - People watch a partial eclipse at the Science Museum of Minnesota Monday August 21, 2017 in St. Paul, Minn. (Photo By Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Because of that, she believes people are willing to go all out for it, whether it’s throwing a party at home or splurging on a trip. Her family is a prime example, as they’re planning a big get together with food, drinks, glasses and shirts.
"I mean, we're in Texas. We like to do things big," she said. "We like to party."
But her survey says they’re not alone.
In fact, her data forecasts an economic boom from the eclipse that could stretch into the multi-billions.
"This, as an event, to create moments and memories, is a unique moment in time. And so people's willingness to spend is even greater today, coming out of the pandemic, than probably 2017 (for the last eclipse)," she said.
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She’s seen booms like this before - last summer, for example, with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
"Think about Taylor Swift concerts, you know, billions of dollars being spent there," she said. "It's a shareable moment that people want to have."
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Not only will cities see an economic boost from tourists, but those that live inside the path - like Miller’s family - will likely be spending money that day as well.
"When people get together, they spend money," she said.
And it’s those local gatherings and outings that she believes will factor greatly in the economic impact.
"I think that’s where a huge maybe underestimated economic impact (is)," she said, especially when you factor in the tips local workers get that day that will circulate back into the economy.
"It's going to be big," she said.
This story was reported from Detroit.