NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana won't be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse but the entire state should get a good glimpse of the historic eclipse and depending on how far north and west you're willing to go, the view could be really close to totality.
Closest places from New Orleans to see the total eclipse
If totality is your goal, then you will have to drive or fly a little ways for the April 8 solar eclipse.
The closest major cities would be Little Rock, Arkansas, which is 428 miles from New Orleans, according to Google Maps.
The other cities closest to New Orleans to see totality.
- Little Rock, Arkansas 428 miles
- Tyler, Texas 433 miles
- Hot Springs, Arkansas 454 miles
- Dallas, Texas 505
- Austin, Texas 511
Louisiana best place to watch eclipse
If you want to see "near totality" then you'll need to travel to the little town of Vivian, Louisiana near the border between Texas and Louisiana. Home to a little over 3,000 people, Vivian will see 99 percent totality.
Here are the percentages of totality in some other parts of Louisiana. You normally have to drive several miles to improve the percentage of the sun that will be eclipses, so cities near the cities below will have similar views.
- Vivian 99 percent
- Shreveport 97 percent
- Monroe 94 percent
- Natchitoches 94 percent
- Alexandria 92 percent
- Lake Charles 91 percent
- Breaux Bridge 88 percent
- Lafayette 88 percent
- Baton Rouge 87 percent
- Denham Springs 87 percent
- Amite 87 percent
- Hammond 86 percent
- Morgan City 86 percent
- Bogalusa 86 percent
- Covington 85 percent
- Thibodaux 85 percent
- New Orleans 84 percent
- Belle Chasse 84 percent
What time will the eclipse be visible in the New Orleans area?
The eclipse will begin about 12:29 p.m. on Monday, April 8. It will be at its maximum around 1:49 p.m. and will be complete by 3:09 p.m.