Solar eclipse sparks celebrations, astrology readings in Eastern Iowa

On Monday afternoon, Cedar Rapids resident Sai Havock will experience heightened psychic abilities.

A solar eclipse will be visible over Cedar Rapids that day, and Havock - who will hold Tarot card readings at New Pioneer Food Co-op - says the astronomical phenomenon expands intuition.

'I pay very close attention to the paths of the planets and stars,” she said. 'It boosts my ability … Tarot readings (and related psychic activity) will be even more powerful than usual.”

Cedar Rapids is roughly a few hundred miles from the path of totality, but Iowans aren't letting that dampen their enthusiasm. From psychic readings to rooftop viewing parties, wide-ranging events are open to those who want to celebrate the solar eclipse on Monday.

'We will be able to see the moon covering up 92 percent of the sun's disc,” said University of Iowa physics and astronomy associate professor Cornelia Lang. 'The sky will not darken significantly, but it's interesting if you're watching it happen. It's very exciting.”

During the eclipse, the moon will pass between the Earth and sun, casting a shadow, Lang said. It will start at 11:46 a.m., peak at 1:12 p.m. and end around 2:35 p.m. in the Iowa City area, she said. These times will vary slightly across Eastern Iowa.

Some Iowa residents have already begun preparation to view the eclipse safely. Last Monday, the Marion Public Library started handing out its supply of 1,000 pairs of solar glasses - received as part of a grant from the Space Science Institute - and ran out in seven minutes.

'We are excited the community is so interested, but it's always hard to say no when we run out of supplies,” said Marion library Director Elsworth Carman.

A crowd of nearly 100 people at the library's eclipse safety event earlier this month tipped off library staff to high levels of public interest, but the demand for solar

glasses, which prevent permanent eye damage from the sun's rays, still came as a surprise, Carman said.

They gave out some glasses that day and reserved an additional 150 pairs for an event the day of the eclipse, he said. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., eclipse experts will give short presentations and the library will display an eclipse livestream.

And at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, some staff are nervous their supply won't be enough to meet community demand.

'We've been getting a lot of calls from people already,” said Amber Mussman, community relations manager for the Cedar Rapids library. She said the library had to purchase glasses, unlike many other libraries that won solar lens grants. 'I had no idea how excited people were going to be.”

The Cedar Rapids libraries - Downtown and Ladd - will start giving out glasses at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, she said. At 12:30 p.m., short presentations will explain the science behind the eclipse at both locations.

At the Downtown library, community members can view the eclipse with proper protection from the Living Learning Roof and look through a telescope equipped with a special solar lens, Mussman said.

In Iowa City, University of Iowa staff have been busy preparing for several campus events and sharing expertise about the eclipse with community members.

Incoming UI freshman will receive solar glasses ahead of Monday's astronomical event as part of the OnIowa! freshman orientation, Lang said. There is even a Twitter hashtag, #BlackGoldSun, associated with the event.

Plus, UI will host viewing stations at the Pentacrest and outside the UI Sciences Library from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can use free eclipse glasses and telescopes at each viewing station, Lang said.

Most UI astronomy department faculty are traveling to the path of totality Monday so there won't be many astronomers around campus, she said, but student experts will be available to answer questions.

Families looking for a hands-on experience also can head to the National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, which will offer nearly five hours of sun-related activities for all ages.

From 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., event attendees can make sun prints, cook s'mores in solar ovens and learn about solar cars, said Jared McGovern, the museum's education program manager.

Those more interested in the mystical aspects of the eclipse should attend a reading with an open mind and good attitude, Havock said.

'It will really broaden my horizons as far as doing readings,” she said. 'It's like an energy portal is opening up, so this is a very significant time in human history.”

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