CARBONDALE, Ill. – One lucky community in southern Illinois is preparing to experience a total solar eclipse for the second time in seven years.

Locally and nationally, the city of Carbondale, Illinois, is beloved as the Total Eclipse Crossroads of America.

Carbondale is the largest city (around 25,000 in population) within the ‘X’ where the 2017 and 2024 solar eclipses cross paths, according to Eclipse2024.org. The geographic center is a small village just south of Carbondale, known as Makanda.

A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the planet Earth. Totality happens during stages of the eclipse in which the moon’s shadow completely blocks the sun. Weather permitting, those in the path of totality, including Carbondale, will see the sky darken like a dawn or dusk color for a short period of time.

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On Monday, Carbondale and surrounding communities will experience a total solar eclipse that lasts around four minutes and eight seconds, one of the longest stretches of in the entire state and a similar duration of totality to seven years ago.

Sarah Vanvooren, director of events and outreach at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, told FOX Weather last month, “For a location to be in the path of two eclipses in a seven-year time span is literally unheard of. … As far as how big of a deal this is for any locale, it’s a 10 out of 10, but for us, it’s like a 15 out of 10 because we weren’t just in the path of totality for the 2017 eclipse, but we’re also in the path of totality for 2024.”

Google Maps shows the approximate paths of both the Aug. 21, 2017 and April 8, 2024 eclipses through Carbondale and the United States.

In celebration of this rare phenomenon, SIU Carbondale and NASA have joined forces to host the Southern Illinois Crossroads Eclipse Festival. The festival will stretch four days from Friday, April 5 to Monday, April 8.

During the festival, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy educational eclipse workshops, presentations, art festivals and music. There will be many free activities from Friday to Sunday.

On Monday, the day of the eclipse, there will be a prime eclipse viewing event at Saluki Stadium, the university’s football venue. Around 15,000 people are expected to gather and witness the total eclipse. SIU is selling tickets for people to attend this observation event.

When the moon completely covers the sun in a totality phase of the solar eclipse, it is safe to look directly at the phenomenon without wearing glasses. In partial phases of the solar eclipse, it is unsafe to look directly at the sun without proper eye protection, such as certified eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers.

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Totality is expected in Carbondale just before the start of the 2 p.m. hour Monday. This is not an eclipse you’ll want to miss. FOX Weather projects the next total solar eclipse in Illinois won’t come for roughly another 350 years.

Carbondale is located nearly 100 miles southeast of St. Louis. It is also known for its prominence to the Shawnee National Forest and a strong retail presence in its downtown.

Carbondale community leaders are sharing of updates around the eclipse and the festival via Facebook. If you can’t make the trip to Carbondale or other cities in totality nearby, click here to find out more about eclipse timing and phases in your area.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.