How Far Do You Have To Drive From Wisconsin To See Solar Eclipse?

The Great North American Eclipse is coming, and it's a chance to experience a total solar eclipse in just over a month.

A total solar eclipse will take place on Monday, April 8, 2024, for a path that splits the United States in half. For places directly under the path, they'll experience the moon completely blocking the sun for a moment. I've never had the chance to witness a total eclipse before, and maybe this is worth a road trip because it isn't all that far from Minnesota and Wisconsin.

A partial eclipse will be visible to all continental 48 states. Be sure not to stare directly at it. Have approved glasses, or do a science project and build a solar eclipse viewer.

Don't do what I did years ago and assume a welder helmet would be dark enough. Some of them aren't and you can burn your retinas. It's not fun.

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The path of the eclipse will start in Mexico around 12:30 pm on April 8th. It will then go northwest on a line that extends to Maine.

How close to Wisconsin will it be?

Like I said earlier, no matter where you are in the state you will be able to see at least a partial eclipse, but if you want the total blackout deal, you'll have to take a little drive.

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According to NASA, the total eclipse will encompass Evansville, Indiana at 2:02 PM CDT. The maximum will be at 2:04 PM, and it will end at 2:05 PM. The partial eclipse window is bigger as it approaches and leaves. That starts at 12:45 PM and goes until 3:20 PM.

Marion, Indiana could be your best bet.

I live in the Northwest corner of Wisconsin, so I'm looking for the closest place to go. From what I can see on the NASA map, that would be Marion, Indiana, which is a 10-hour drive for me. It's 635 miles away from Duluth + Superior. But, if you live in Milwaukee, it's only 263 miles away. That's just over a four-and-a-half-hour drive.

It won't happen again for over 20 years.

North America won't see a solar eclipse for years. In fact, the next time one will happen over North America according to Timeandate.com will be in 2044.