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Iowa's Moon Shadow

courtesy of Amy Mayer/IPR
Group of Iowans in Missouri wathcing the eclipse

Some astronomers and enthusiasts have been waiting years for today’s solar eclipse.  Almost all of Iowa experienced a partial eclipse, and the path of the total eclipse was further south and west. There is a small portion, a few hundred acres, of extreme southeast Iowa in that path.  

Iowa State University Professor of Astrophysics Steve Kawaler joins the conversation to talk about the eclipse. He describes the experience of a total eclipse.

"When totality is achieved the shadow swells over you, and you really do sense the fact that something odd and eerie is happening. Your lizard brain knows that this isn't right."

Kawaler also discusses the latest astronomy news, like the thousands of exoplanets being examined by NASA.  

In the second half of the show, we hear about how the eye can be damaged from looking at the sun, and we hear from the Cedar Amateur Astronomers about what you can do if you have a renewed interested in the night sky.  

Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River