Another eclipse is upon us.
On Saturday, the moon will cast its shadow on Earth’s surface, a phenomenon that people in parts of the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia and Africa will get to experience as a partial solar eclipse. It is only partially as impressive as the total solar eclipse that cut across the United States last year, but it is an opportunity to take a break from worldly matters and witness our place in the solar system.
During the eclipse, the moon will appear to take a bite out of the sun, but how much varies by location. And clouds can spoil the view.
The surface of the sun will never be fully obscured during this event, so it is never safe to look at the partial solar eclipse without protective eye gear.
When is the solar eclipse?
People in the regions where the partial solar eclipse is visible will experience it differently. How much of the sun will be covered, and what time it happens, depends on location. You’ll also need to check your local weather report for clear or cloudy conditions.
NASA has published a list of eclipse times in several big cities here.
In North America, the event begins early in the morning around sunrise, and for most, the sun will already be partially eclipsed when it emerges.
Saturday’s eclipse will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere in a region that includes both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike a total eclipse, it affects the sun in a broad region and has less of a clear path.
In the United States, viewers along the coast in the Northeast will see the greatest eclipse. Those in Boston, for instance, will see 43 percent of the solar surface covered at 6:38 a.m. Eastern. In New York City, the sun will be only 22 percent eclipsed, at 6:46 a.m. People as far south as Washington, D.C., will experience a 1 percent eclipse at 6:59 a.m.
The most obstructed sun will occur much farther north. People in northern Quebec, Nunavut and much of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada will witness over 90 percent of the sun covered by the moon.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, people in northern and western Europe, as well as on the northwestern coast of Africa, will see the solar eclipse reach its maximum during late morning or early afternoon. In northern Russia, the eclipse will occur later in the afternoon, and in some places closer to sunset.
The eclipse can last more than an hour in places like Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the moon slowly glides over 83 percent of the sun, reaches a maximum point and then recedes. But in Buffalo, where the eclipse will reach a maximum of 2 percent, it will last only seven minutes.
What is a partial solar eclipse?
Solar eclipses occur when the moon slides between Earth and the sun, shielding all or part of the solar surface from our view.
The most dramatic version of this is a total solar eclipse, when the entire sun is covered and its outer atmosphere, or corona, is visible for a few minutes at the height of the event. This is known as totality.
By contrast, only a chunk of the sun will be obscured on Saturday, in what is known as a partial solar eclipse. This happens when the Earth, moon and sun are imperfectly aligned. Unlike totality, the sky won’t darken enough during a partial solar eclipse for you to see stars or planets in the daytime, and animals are not likely to react as strongly.
Eclipses come in pairs, two weeks apart — the amount of time it takes for the moon to swing around to the other side of Earth. Stargazers recently saw the moon blush red during a total lunar eclipse earlier this month.
Do I need eclipse glasses to safely view it?
Staring at the sun, even for a few seconds, can permanently damage your eyes. Because there are no pain receptors in the retina, you won’t feel it while it’s happening.
The same is true during a partial solar eclipse. But there are several ways to protect your eyes and still see the event. If you saved your paper glasses from last year’s total solar eclipse, you can use them again, as long as they aren’t torn, scratched or otherwise damaged.
Beware of counterfeit eclipse glasses and solar viewers. A list of reliable suppliers, compiled by the American Astronomical Society, can be found here.
If it’s too late to find eclipse glasses, you can safely watch a projection onto the ground using items around the house. Options include fashioning an eclipse viewer from cardstock or a cardboard box. You can also use a kitchen strainer, a straw hat or even your own fingers.
When is the next solar eclipse?
According to NASA, another partial solar eclipse will happen on Sept. 21, best viewed in Australia. A total solar eclipse will occur in summer 2026, visible in upper parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
If that’s too long to wait, two total lunar eclipses are also coming, one in September and another next March. Unlike total solar eclipses, which are visible only along a narrow path on Earth’s surface, total lunar eclipses can be seen by mostly anyone on the night side of the planet.
