Partial solar eclipse to be visible in some parts of the US this summer

Some lucky stargazers in the United States will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the upcoming solar eclipse, according to astronomy experts.

On August 12, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in some parts of the United States, from Alaska to North Carolina, according to NASA. Most of Canada, most of Europe and northwest Africa will also be able to see the partial eclipse, according to NASA.

NASA said that residents of the United States and southern Canada will only see a small “bite” taken from the solar disk when the moon crosses the sun.

But the full display, a total solar eclipse, will pass over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal and northern Spain, according to the European Space Agency. National Solar Observatory.

The sunset eclipse will be visible to viewers along the western part of the eclipse’s path, from mainland Europe to Africa, according to NASA. A solar eclipse occurs at sunset, when the sun sets while it is still partially eclipsed.

After August 12, it became The upcoming total solar eclipse It will be visible on August 2, 2027 in southern Spain and northern Africa.

The difference between a total and partial solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon slides in front of the sun. Viewers in the center of the moon’s shadow will witness a total solar eclipse, according to NASA. The moment of the eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun.

A partial solar eclipse occurs when observers are within the moon’s shadow but outside the path of the total eclipse, according to NASA.

When will the solar eclipse occur?

In the United States, the maximum partial solar eclipse will occur in Anchorage at 8:21 a.m. local time but midday on the mainland. The maximum will occur in Bangor, Maine, at 1:53 p.m. and in Boston at 1:55 p.m.; and in Detroit at 1:36 p.m.; In New York City at 1:54 p.m.; And in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., at 1:53 p.m., according to NASA.

The total solar eclipse will occur at midday in a small, remote area in northern Russia. From Greenland to Iceland, the total eclipse will occur from late afternoon until early evening.

In Spain and northwestern Portugal, the sun will witness a complete eclipse late in the evening, shortly before sunset, according to NASA. A solar eclipse at sunset is a “rare sight,” according to the American “space” website Space.com website.

How to watch the eclipse safely

According to NASA, anyone planning to view the partial solar eclipse will need safe sunglasses to protect their eyes.

Ultraviolet radiation, whether from natural sunlight or artificial rays indoors, can damage surface tissue, the cornea and the lens of the eye, according to American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The only time viewers can look directly at the eclipse without eye protection is during the brief moments of totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. It is never safe to look directly at a partial solar eclipse without eye protection.

Viewers can also use portable solar projectors and other safe solar filters that block most sunlight and prevent eye damage.

An indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector to capture images of the Sun, could also be used to see the partial phases of the eclipse, NASA said. The device has a small aperture that projects an image of the sun onto a nearby surface.

NASA said it is not safe to look at the eclipse through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a portable solar viewer because concentrated solar rays can burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.