On Thursday, a partial solar eclipse is expected to darken the skies above. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the sun and moon are not exactly in line and the moon only partially obscures the sun. We’d like to reiterate that just because the sun is partially obscured, it’s still a very bad idea to stare directly into it, no matter how much you may be tempted to try.
With that warning out of the way, here are the best times to watch:
- 1:35 p.m. local time in Seattle
- 1:52 p.m. in San Francisco
- 2:08 p.m. in Los Angeles
- Phoenix around 2:21 p.m.
- Denver at 3:18 p.m.
- Chicago at 4:36 p.m.
- Dallas at 4:48 p.m.
- 5:45 and 6 p.m. local time in Boston, New York, Washington D.C. and Atlanta
And if you’re looking for tips on how to safely watch the eclipse without damaging your eyes, CBS News has listed some helpful pointers that you should consider.
One way you can safely watch the eclipse is by using glasses equipped with special solar filters, or through a rectangular arc-welder’s glass that can be purchased at a welding supply store. This will ensure that you can actually watch the eclipse while protecting your eyes in the process.
Another way to watch a solar eclipse is something you may have learned about in grade school. You can create a pinhole projector by poking a small hole in a card and then face it toward the sun while holding a second card about three feet behind it in a shadow. If you don’t remember how to do that, you can read how here.
If you want to watch the eclipse online and escape any possible danger to your eyes, you can stream it live courtesy of the Slooh Community Observatory, which will start its live webcast at 5 p.m. Eastern time here.
Head to CBS’ website to get the full story.
