Communities on Australia's north-west coast are preparing for an influx of tourists in April next year, with thousands expected to arrive hoping to witness a total solar eclipse.
Exmouth, in WA's Pilbara will be under the path of totality, making it an ideal spot for eclipse chasers, but up to 5,000 stargazers are also expected in Onslow to the north-west, which will experience more than 99 per cent totality.
"We have had international interest in the eclipse," said Ashburton Shire's Chief Operating Officer of Aviation and Tourism, Megan Walsh.
"We've got tourism companies from the States wanting to book accommodation, wanting to bring boats in.
"Onslow has always been this quiet little fishing town.
"[The eclipse is] going to really put Onslow on the map."
Astrotourism boost for the region
Astrotourism is a key part of the shire's future, with Ms Walsh viewing next year's eclipse as a "launching pad".
"It's about what happens after this one event," she said.
"The Shire of Ashburton has been recognised as a great place for stargazing. We've got these beautiful dark skies.
Astrotourism WA CEO and founder Carol Redford said the eclipse would put a global spotlight along the Coral Coast and the Pilbara.
"The world's media will be watching this event and they'll be here, they'll be beaming out the story to all corners of the globe," she said.
Ms Redford said the eclipse would be an incredible opportunity to showcase the region's "world-class" night skies and boost dark sky tourism.
"(It's an) opportunity to say to the world, 'We've got this fantastic solar eclipse happening and apart from that, come and see our beautiful dark skies in the southern hemisphere'."
For author, psychologist and eclipse chaser Dr Kate Russo, it will be her 13th solar eclipse.
"Once every 18 months or so somewhere around the world, a total eclipse is visible from a very narrow path," Dr Russo said.
"You can see the outer atmosphere of the sun and it forms this beautiful, silvery light corona."
Dr Russo is helping the Shire of Ashburton prepare for next year's event, which will also serve as a taster for a 2038 eclipse during which Onslow will be at the centre of the path of totality.
"This eclipse next year in 2023 is very much a warm-up," she said.
Ms Redford said next year's solar eclipse would be particularly special because the Moon and Sun's disks would be almost the same size.
"We might be able to see the chromosphere, which is the closer atmosphere of the sun or just directly around the sun, and that's a ruby red kind of colour," she said.
"To have the same thing happen in Exmouth would take, I believe, another 375 years."
