A solar eclipse is coming Wednesday: What to know and how to watch
Animal behavior during the solar eclipse
LiveNOW's Stephanie Coueignoux speaks with Nate Bickford, associate professor at the Oregon Institute of Technology, on how animals react during a total solar eclipse.
A total solar eclipse is taking place Aug. 12, and though it won’t be totally visible from the U.S., several northern states will be able to see a partial solar eclipse, NASA said.
The celestial event will sweep across Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a small part of Portugal.
When and where to watch from the US
Local perspective:
Parts of the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to North Carolina and most of Canada will have an opportunity to experience a partial solar eclipse.
People hoping to watch the eclipse from North America will be inside the moon’s shadow but outside the path of totality. This means the moon will never completely block the sun and the eclipse will be partial only.
How to see the eclipse safely
What you can do:
During a partial solar eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the sun without proper eye protection.
Regular sunglasses are not safe, regardless of how dark they are. NASA said safe eclipse glasses should comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard and should not be used if they are torn, scratched or otherwise damaged.
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Viewers should not look at the sun through a camera, telescope or binoculars while wearing eclipse glasses. Those devices concentrate sunlight and require specially designed solar filters attached to the front of the equipment.
Eclipse-viewing glasses (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP via Getty Images)
People without eclipse glasses can use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector. The projector casts an image of the sun onto another surface, so viewers don't have to look directly at it.
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For a list of approved eclipse-viewing eyewear, click here.
How to watch online
People outside the path of totality — or those whose view is blocked by clouds — will also be able to follow the eclipse through online coverage.
NASA is expected to provide live views from locations along the eclipse path, along with commentary from scientists and eclipse experts. Broadcast details and viewing links should be confirmed closer to Aug. 12.
I would avoid including exact broadcast times until NASA officially posts its final 2026 coverage schedule.
What is a total solar eclipse?
The backstory:
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon completely blocks the sun from view.
People who are in the direct path of the total solar eclipse can witness the sun’s corona, which is typically too dim to see when it’s not covered, according to NASA.
Total Solar Eclipse: How to keep your eyes safe
Your next chance to view a total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States won't come until 2044.
When is the 2027 solar eclipse?
What's next:
An exceptionally long total solar eclipse is in store for 2027, yielding nearly three times more observation time.
The southern tip of Spain will take center stage on Aug. 2, 2027, with up to six minutes and 23 seconds of totality extending into Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from NASA’s website, The Associated Press and previous FOX Local reporting. FOX's Tyler Thrasher contributed. This story was reported from San Jose.