Will the Palm Springs area see the solar eclipse on April 8? Search your ZIP code
Get ready for a spectacular show: A total solar eclipse will occur above the U.S. on the afternoon of April 8.
Most Americans will be able to see it in some form, but the distance between your location and the path of totality will determine how much of the sun will be covered by the moon. Many places in the U.S. − Rochester, N.Y., Cleveland, and Austin, Texas, to name a few − will see a total eclipse, in which the sun is completely obscured. Other locations will see a partial eclipse.
Those in Southern California will be unable to see the total eclipse, but will be able to see the partial eclipse. If you want to travel to Nevada, Arizona and/or New Mexico, you will have access to the more the eclipse. A trip to central Texas and parts of northern Mexico will give you access to the full eclipse.
Search for your ZIP code below or select a major city to reveal the time, duration, peak and percentage of the eclipse in your area.
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On April 8 the moon will travel along the path of totality in North America starting in northern Mexico. The shadow of the moon will pass into Texas a little before 1:30 p.m. local time. It will then cover portions of the Midwest and East Coast and touch southeast Canada before it moves out to sea, according to NASA.
How do I know solar eclipse glasses are safe? How can I view the eclipse safely without glasses?
If you buy or are given eclipse glasses, be sure they are made by companies the American Astronomical Society has certified as safe.
NASA does not certify glasses, so be wary of any manufacturers claiming that to have the space agency's approval.
Eclipse glasses should all have the "ISO" (International Organization for Standardization) icon. The glasses also must have the ISO reference number 12312-2.
If you cannot find certified glasses, there are other ways to view the eclipse, including with a shadow box you can make yourself. Whatever you do, don't look at the sun without proper protection.
A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," when observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, confuses animals – nocturnal creatures stir, and bird and insects fall silent.
More: The solar eclipse and the horned devil comet: Two good reasons to look up on April 8
Contributing: Janet Loehrke, Javier Zarracina and Shawn J. Sullivan
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What time is total solar eclipse on April 8? Can it be seen from SoCal
