The 2 Best Places in Iowa to View the Total Eclipse

On April 8, the sun will play peek-a-boo behind the moon in a total solar eclipse. In a highly anticipated and momentous event, nearly 45 million Americans will be in the path of totality for the eclipse. This unique and historic moment will last for almost 4 and a half minutes, nearly twice as long as the eclipse of 2017.

15 US States will be in this path of totality and will get a front-seat view of the action. While Iowa isn't one of those states, there will still be plenty to see.

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Will Iowans Be Able to See the Total Solar Eclipse?

The state of Iowa will absolutely be able to experience the eclipse, however, it is not in the path of totality:

Iowa will not be in the path of totality April 8, but there will be plenty to see.

The eclipse begins at 12:43 p.m. in Des Moines and will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Maximum coverage of 84% will be at 1:58 p.m. Times will shift just a couple of minutes earlier for southwest Iowa and a couple of minutes later in northeast Iowa.

If you're looking to experience totality, the nearest area — Carbondale, Illinois, and Cape Girardeau, Missouri — is around 450 miles away.

-KCCI Website

Some of the best places to view the April eclipse will be at local watch parties. These include the Dallas County Conservation Viewing Party in Redfield and the Story County Viewing Party in Ames. Both events are free to the public.

To learn more about the upcoming eclipse, check out the article from KCCI.

Story Sources: KCCI Website