© 2025 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Traveling back in time to America's first eclipse chasers

Ways To Subscribe
River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

In 1869, Iowa was directly in the path of a total solar eclipse.

The path of totality ran from Sioux City to Keokuk, and attracted the nation's premiere astronomers to the state. River to River host Ben Kieffer talks with UNI professor Tom Hockey about his recently published book, America's First Eclipse Chasers: Stories of Science, Planet Vulcan, Quicksand, and the Railroad Boom.

Also in this episode, we listen back to a September 2023 conversation with Thomas Jackson and Fritz McDonald, the artist and writer behind the dystopian graphic novel 2184 1/2.

Guests:

  • Tom Hockey, author, distinguished research professor of astronomy, University of Northern Iowa
  • Thomas Jackson, illustrator
  • Fritz McDonald, writer, University of Iowa Writers' Workshop alum
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Dani Gehr is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University. Since 2022, Gehr has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
Samantha McIntosh is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University. Since 2022, McIntosh has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.