How to Watch the Total Solar Eclipse — In Person, Online or On TV

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File

A total solar eclipse will darken the sky in the coming days — and it will be the last one viewable in the United States until 2044, so it will be worth tuning in for! But there’s a right way to watch and a wrong way to watch. Read on to find out the safe way to stare directly at the sun.

For starters, what is a total solar eclipse? When the moon traverses directly in front of the sun, passing in between the Earth and the sun, causing the light from the sun to be blocked and darkening the sky to a shade resembling twilight or dusk. (In other words, not total darkness.) During the eclipse’s totality,  the only part of the sun that is visible is its corona, the sun’s atmosphere, which is only visible during a total solar eclipse. The astronomical alignment lasts anywhere from about 10 seconds to a handful of minutes.

The next eclipse is going down on Monday, April 8.

According to NASA, the “path of totality goes from Texas to Maine and crosses the path of the August 2017 eclipse near Carbondale, Illinois.” That describes the region of North America — 13 states — that will see the most dramatic effects of the eclipse. That is also why people will travel to watch the rare celestial phenomenon, so they can view from the path of totality for the most impactful experience. Before 2017’s solar eclipse, the previous one took place in 1979.

So, if the moon is going to block the sun, isn’t it safe to look at? Yes and no. Keep in mind that it is never safe to look directly into the sun, even if it’s being blocked by the moon. However, several retail outlets, businesses, establishments, and web sites are providing free eclipse glasses that will make it safe to watch the eclipse. Look for the ISO-certified label (not the “NASA-approved” label), which signifies the glasses you get have the special-purpose solar filters that are approved by the American Astronomical Society.

Another indirect way to observe the solar eclipse is a pinhole projector, which you can make yourself. Or you can download instructions from NASA.

The risk to your eyes is real, and the injuries can be instant. And if you look into a total solar eclipse and get caught on camera, expect to be roundly mocked.

If you’re not in the best viewing area for the solar eclipse, or you just want to watch the sun from the safety of a screen (for which we still recommend blue light blocking glasses), there are plenty of places that will have live footage. Space.com will have live footage and an updated blog, if you want all the space nerd facts you could ever want. NASA will also be watching, and you can watch along on their YouTube Livestream channel.

There are also plenty of live TV and streaming options for the solar eclipse including Eclipse Across America, a live ABC News special that will start Monday, April 8 at 2:00 PM ET on ABC, ABC News Live, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox Weather will present America’s Total Eclipse, with meteorologists and correspondents in several locations from Texas to Vermont to cover the solar eclipse from 12:00 PM ET to 4:00 PM ET.

MSNBC’s Katy Tur will anchor coverage on the network beginning at 2:00 PM, a broadcast that will feature in-studio, virtual reality technology to follow the path of the solar eclipse.

CNN will also cover the solar eclipse from 1:00 to 4:00 PM ET on Monday with anchors Boris Sanchez and Brianna Keilar on cable as well as CNN.com, plus it will include footage from a Delta Air Lines flight that is flying close to the path of totality.

NewsNation’s coverage will run from 1:00-4:30 PM ET from its Chicago headquarters and will be led by senior national correspondent Brian Entin along with NewsNation Now anchors Nichole Berlie and Connell McShane. Correspondents will report from locations along the path of totality including Indianapolis, Indiana and Del Rio, Texas.