(NEW YORK) — A partial solar eclipse will be visible from the U.S. this weekend, but only a select few of the northernmost states are expected to get a glimpse of the cosmic phenomenon.
On early Saturday morning, the moon will pass in front of the sun, casting its shadow for viewers across the Atlantic Ocean, according to NASA. Since the moon, sun and Earth are not perfectly lined up, the movement will result in a partial eclipse, in which the sun will look like a crescent, or like a piece has been taken out of it.
“The moon is not able to block the entirety of the sun,” Lujendra Ojha, an assistant professor at Rutgers University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, told ABC News.
The shadow of the eclipse moves from west to east, opposite the apparent motion of the Sun and the rest of the sky, according to NASA. The orbital motion of the moon, which is the same direction as Earth’s but twice as fast, determines the direction of the eclipse’s shadow.
Sunspots can sometimes be visible during solar eclipse events, according to NASA.
People in Europe, western Africa, eastern Canada and the Northeast in the U.S. are positioned to see a partial eclipse.
When and where to see the partial solar eclipse from the US
Northeast states such as Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York will be able to get the best view of the partial solar eclipse, Matthew Newby, an associate professor of physics at Temple University, told ABC News. Regions to the north of the U.S., such as northeastern Canada and Greenland, will likely get the best view globally, Newby said.
Those with the best view may see up to 90% of the sun covered, but the further south you go, the less coverage there will be, Newby said. Maine is expected to experience 80% coverage, while New Hampshire will see about 50% coverage and New York about 30% coverage, Newby said.
The viewing window starts between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. ET for most locations in the U.S. NASA published a list of start times by city.
In the rest of the U.S., the central part of the moon’s shadow will appear to completely miss the Earth, so viewers won’t be able to see the event, according to NASA.
Newby recommended that viewers contact local astronomers to get the most accurate viewing information in your area.
“It should be a beautiful partial eclipse,” Ojha said.
The next partial solar eclipse will take place in September and will be visible from Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, according to NASA.
A total solar eclipse will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Russia in August 2026.
The next solar eclipse to be visible from the U.S. will take place in January 2028.
How to view the partial solar eclipse safely
Anyone who plans to watch the partial solar eclipse will need safe solar viewing glasses to protect their eyes, according to NASA.
While it is always dangerous to stare directly into the sun, the presence of an eclipse actually gives people a reason to look at it, increasing the likelihood of cases of injured corneas, Newby said.
UV radiation, whether from natural sunlight or artificial rays indoors, can damage the surface tissue, cornea and lens of the eye, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
“Looking at it with your unaided eye can cause permanent vision damage, and staring at the sun with any sort of magnifier that’s not perfectly safe can instantly blind you,” Newby said.
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