Will we see the solar eclipse in Colorado? Here's when and where we'll get a glimpse of April 8's show
People who will be in Denver or anywhere else in Colorado next week will be out of luck if they are hoping to see the total solar eclipse. That's because the path of totality for the solar eclipse doesn't come across the state. The nearest place that will cross on Monday is in some states to the south and east, including Texas and Oklahoma. Only a partial eclipse will be visible in Colorado.
If you're curious about that partial eclipse, it will be important to know what time to look for it. (Using the proper eye protection, of course.)
Where will the eclipse be visible in Colorado?
When it comes to eclipse viewing on Monday, there will be some slight differences in what you will witness depending on whether you are in the Denver metro area or up in the mountains. The eclipse will be at about 65% for the majority of the Denver area.
"The percentage of the sun eclipsed will range from around 54% to 78% depending upon what part of Colorado you are in," CBS Colorado First Alert Chief Meteorologist Dave Aguilera said. "The farther west you are the smaller the percentage. For example, Lamar on the Eastern Plains will be around 74% while Grand Junction on the Western Slope will be around 58%."
What could be different is whether you have clear skies or not for the viewing. Different parts of Colorado may wind up with cloud cover that interferes with Coloradans' eclipse viewing. There are still many days still to go before the eclipse happens, so keep an eye on the forecast.
What time will the eclipse peak in Colorado on April 8?
The eclipse viewing in Colorado next week is certainly a less exciting prospect than the communities in the United States that lie on the path of totality. Those communities are in all of the following states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. (It's not too late to drive — or fly — to one of those places.)
But in Denver and across Colorado the period of being able to see the moon's shadow blocking part of the sun will begin on Monday, April 8, at 11:28 a.m.
For the next hour and 12 minutes, more and more of the sun's brightness will be diminished. Then the peak will be at 12:40 a.m. and for the next hour and 14 minutes the eclipse will still be visible, but less and less so.
Then the view of the sun in Colorado will be back to normal at 1:54 p.m.
When is the next total solar eclipse in Colorado?
Coloradans hoping to be able to see a total eclipse within state lines have a long time to wait. That won't be happening until the 2040s, according to nationaleclipse.com.
On Aug. 12, 2045, a large section of Colorado will be in the path of totality for a full solar eclipse. Other western states that will be in that path are California, Idaho, and Utah.
