U.S. cities set for partial solar eclipse as totality hits Europe

If you’re able to break away this afternoon, you will be able to catch a solar eclipse.

While parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain will have a total solar eclipse, parts of the U.S. will be able to experience a partial eclipse.

The Associated Press said totality will start at the North Pole and move to Greenland, Iceland, Spain and part of Portugal, while in the U.S., the following cities will get a little darker during the partial eclipse (all times local):

Anchorage, Alaska, 28% coverage beginning at 7:36 a.m., peaking at 8:21 a.m.
Bangor, Maine, 24% coverage beginning at 12:54 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.
Detroit, 3% coverage beginning at 1:03 p.m., peaking at 1:36 p.m.
New York City, 9% coverage beginning at 1:07 p.m., peaking at 1:54 p.m.
Philadelphia, 7% coverage beginning at 1:11 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.
Washington, D.C., 4% coverage beginning at 1:17 p.m., peaking at 1:53 p.m.

While the U.S. only has a partial eclipse this time around, the country is on tap to have a full eclipse, but not for a few more years. The next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse will happen in 2045, the AP reported.

You won’t have to wait that long to see a total eclipse, but you’ll have to travel to experience it. The next one will happen Aug. 2, 2027, but totality will be seen in North Africa and the Middle East, CNN reported.

If you’re in an area that will experience the partial eclipse, you are reminded not to look directly at the sun. It could damage your eyes.

You should use certified eclipse safety glasses. Sunglasses are not enough, according to NationalEclipse.com. If you don’t have any, you can use a pinhole viewer. Using your cell phone camera, telescope, or other devices will also require a solar filter, or you risk damaging your eyes permanently. Make sure the filters are on the correct end of the viewer.

“Never attempt to view an eclipse through an optical device using eclipse glasses or any type of filter that attaches to the viewing side (as opposed to the Sun side) of the instrument; the focused light will destroy the filter and enter and damage your eyes,” the website said.

For more information on watching an eclipse safely, click here.

There is also one more safe option: watching the eclipse online.

Space.com is offering a live stream of the event.