Solar eclipse to occur next week. Here is what to know

Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Here is what to know It will be visible in parts of the U.S. on Wednesday. Here is what to know August 8, 20268:56 PM ET By Chandelis Duster The Moon crosses in front of the Sun during a total solar eclipse at Lake Monroe on April 08, 2024 in Indiana, United States. Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images hide caption People throughout Europe and parts of the U.S. will be treated to a chance to see a solar eclipse on Wednesday. People in Iceland, Greenland, northern Russia, Spain, and a part of Portugal will see a total eclipse, according to astronomers. That's when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, fully blocking the Sun's face. NASA says northern parts of the United States, including from Alaska to North Carolina, will see a partial solar eclipse. Space The Artemis II crew saw parts of the moon never seen before. Here's what they said During a partial solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but the celestial bodies are not perfectly aligned. Because only parts of the sun are obscured, the sun appears as a crescent shape. The partial eclipse is expected to begin around 1:17 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C. and have 4% coverage, according to NASA. That means up to 4 percent of the sun will be covered by the moon. In Reykjavík, Iceland, the total eclipse will begin at 5:48 p.m. local time , and in León, Spain, totality will begin at 8:28 p.m and last for two minutes. This will be the first solar eclipse visible from Spain's mainland since 1905, according to the European Space Agency. For those who plan to watch either the total or partial eclipse, special equipment such as eclipse glasses or handheld viewers with special filters will be necessary to protect one's eyes. Regular sunglasses will not be effective for eye protection, even during a partial eclipse. Looking at the sun, even if for a short time, can cause significant eye damage, including burns and even permanent vision loss, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Life Kit The physical sensations of watching a total solar eclipse While the eclipse will give skywatchers a chance to safely marvel at the rare phenomena, some scientists will use it as an opportunity to better understand the sun. NASA says it will have teams using scientific balloons and a high-altitude jet to study how the sky when darkened for a short period of time impacts the Earth's atmosphere. "From our unique perspective on Earth during a total solar eclipse, scientists can study the Sun's corona in a way we can't from anywhere else in the solar system," Kelly Korreck, eclipse program manager for NASA, said in a statement. The next partial solar eclipse will be visible across parts of the U.S. on Aug. 2, 2027 – with totality visible from Spain, the Middle East and parts of North Africa. A total solar eclipse will be visible across parts of the contiguous U.S. on Aug. 23, 2044. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor