Another eclipse is upon us.
On Saturday, the moon will cast its shadow on Earth’s surface, allowing people in parts of the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia, and Africa to experience a partial solar eclipse. While less dramatic than the total solar eclipse that traversed the United States last year, this event offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on our place in the solar system.
During the eclipse, the moon will appear to take a bite out of the sun; however, the extent of this coverage will vary by location. Cloud cover can impact visibility, and safety precautions are essential, as the surface of the sun will never be fully obscured, making it unsafe to view without protective eyewear.
People in the regions where the partial solar eclipse is visible will experience it differently, with the degree of sun coverage and timing depending on their location. It is advisable to check local weather conditions for clarity.
NASA has provided a schedule of eclipse times for several major cities.
In North America, the event will commence early in the morning around sunrise, with many viewers likely to notice that the sun is already partially eclipsed when it rises.
The eclipse will be visible across the Northern Hemisphere, impacting a broad region including both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, unlike a total eclipse which follows a defined path.
In the United States, viewers on the Northeast coast will experience the greatest eclipse. For example, individuals in Boston will see 43 percent of the solar surface covered at 6:38 a.m. Eastern time, while New York City will witness a 22 percent eclipse at 6:46 a.m. In Washington, D.C., the eclipse will reach only 1 percent at 6:59 a.m.
The most significant obscuration will occur much farther north, with northern Quebec, Nunavut, and parts of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada witnessing over 90 percent coverage.
On the opposite side of the Atlantic, individuals in northern and western Europe, along with the northwestern coast of Africa, will see the eclipse reach its maximum in late morning or early afternoon. In northern Russia, the eclipse will occur later in the day, possibly closer to sunset.
The eclipse may last over an hour in locations like Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the moon will cover 83 percent of the sun, reaching a maximum point before receding. Conversely, in Buffalo, where the eclipse will peak at 2 percent, it will last only seven minutes.
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, obscuring part of the sun's surface from view.
The most dramatic form of this event is a total solar eclipse, where the entire sun is covered, revealing its outer atmosphere, or corona, for a brief period. In contrast, Saturday’s event will only partially obscure the sun, as the Earth, moon, and sun will not be perfectly aligned. The sky will not darken sufficiently during a partial eclipse to see stars or planets during the day, and animal behaviors are likely to remain unaffected.
Eclipses generally occur in pairs, two weeks apart, coinciding with the moon's orbit around Earth. Stargazers recently witnessed a total lunar eclipse earlier this month.
To safely view the eclipse, protective eyewear is necessary. Staring directly at the sun can permanently damage the eyes. Since there are no pain receptors in the retina, damage may occur without immediate awareness.
Those who saved paper glasses from last year's total solar eclipse can reuse them if they remain intact. Caution is advised against counterfeit eclipse glasses and solar viewers; a list of reliable suppliers is available from the American Astronomical Society.
If eclipse glasses are unavailable, safe viewing alternatives include projecting the event onto the ground using household items. Options include making an eclipse viewer from cardboard or using a kitchen strainer, straw hat, or even fingers.
Looking ahead, another partial solar eclipse is scheduled for September 21, best viewed in Australia. A total solar eclipse will take place in the summer of 2026, observable in northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere. For those eager for celestial events, two total lunar eclipses are also approaching, one in September and another next March, which can be seen by anyone on the night side of the Earth.