There’s no shortage of excitement surrounding Monday’s solar eclipse.
Though Pittsburghers won’t be able to view a total eclipse (states south of Pittsburgh will get the full experience), we’ll still get about 80 percent coverage, according to NASA.
If you’re in the city or outside, you can check out what your view will look like on this Jet Propulsion Laboratory app:
NASA will also livestream the eclipse here.
Though you'll be able to see the moon approaching the sun, the eclipse starts in the Pittsburgh area around 1:00 p.m. and end just before 4 p.m.
"It’ll be several hours," said Ralph Crewe, program development coordinator with the Carnegie Science Center. "The peak will be around 2:30 p.m. and I recommend if people are going to view the partial eclipse that you view it sometime between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.”
And if you’re looking for a spot to view the eclipse, the Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, Frick Environmental Center and other spots are hosting viewing parties. Patch.com has a roundup of local events, as does PennLive, for people in other parts of the state.
Don’t forget about safety. NPR has a breakdown of everything you need to know ahead of the eclipse – like, you can’t just wear your regular sunglasses to protect your eyes while you watch. Here’s why.
To find eclipse glasses, the American Astronomical Society has a list of approved vendors.
As the day of the eclipse grows nearer, the special glasses are hard to come by, but there are other ways to watch including borrow glasses from eclipse events(or one that has a specialized telescope), watching the livestreams, using pinhole projectors or going into nature.
“When there’s a partial eclipse going on, the foliage will create many small pinholes," said Crewe. "You’ll see a sea of crescents all over the forest floor, which is a beautiful experience."
And most of all, enjoy it while you can! Future earthlings may not have that chance ... at least in 600 million years.
