What time is the solar eclipse? What to know and what you’ll see in Bucks County

The solar eclipse is expected to be viewable on Monday, April 8, including here in Bucks County and throughout Pennsylvania.

Tracking the solar eclipse? Trying to plan your viewing party. We have you covered as you figure out the best time to observe nature's high-tech phenomenon. Just use your ZIP code.

Star watchers can also follow the solar eclipse using USA Today's interactive solar eclipse tool.

Here's your guide on how to check the solar eclipse timetable using your ZIP code, where to purchase solar eclipse glasses or make your own projector, and the latest solar eclipse information you should know.

What time is the eclipse? How long will it last? What will it look like?

People planning to observe the solar eclipse and interested in timing the event can enter their ZIP code on this site to get an approximation on the timetable of the solar eclipse's visibility and what it will look like in your neighborhood.

Your solar eclipse timing primer: What time is the solar eclipse? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide

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.

There are viewing parties and sessions planned ahead of the eclipse in Bucks County, Philadelphia and the region.

Erie in direct path of solar eclipse; how to best observe there

While Bucks County and most of Pennsylvania are in the path of the eclipse, Erie in northwestern part of the state is in the path of totality and expects big crowds for the 3 minutes and 42 seconds event.

Erie solar eclipse primer: Solar eclipse 2024: Erie is in path of totality. Here's what to know

Presque Isle State Park in Erie has been preparing for large crowds.

Early April is usually a slow time at the park, but the solar eclipse that day is expected to bring up to 30,000 people to Presque Isle, depending on the weather, said Matt Greene, the park's operations manager.

In Erie, people are encouraged to find places other than the bayfront to view the eclipse because the downtown traffic could be gridlocked on April 8.

Pennsylvania Turnpike will keep all lanes open at the Cranberry Interchange

Driver do's and don'ts for the eclipse: Checking out the solar eclipse next month? Don't park on highways, gather at rest stops

The Pennsylvania State Police are prepared for the extra traffic the solar eclipse will bring to Erie.

"The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will be keeping all lanes of traffic open heading to and from Erie on I-79 via the Cranberry Interchange (Exit #28) and adding additional maintenance personnel in the event of an emergency," read a portion of PennDOT's news release. "To assist Pennsylvania residents and out-of-state visitors traveling to Erie, which will experience one of the longest period of darkness, PennDOT has developed an event specific 511PA page — www.511pa.com/eclipse24."

Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, Walmart offering solar eclipse glasses in-store and online

Home Depot, at 650 Easton Road in Warrington, has a limited quantity of solar eclipse glasses available for pickup.

The Lowe's at 1400 East Lincoln Highway in Langhorne has a few pairs of solar eclipse glasses available for pickup.

The Target at 800 Rock Hill Drive in Bensalem has different models of solar eclipse glasses available for pickup, and has a wider array of solar eclipse glasses available online.

For people shopping online, Target is promising delivery well before the April 8, if the solar eclipse glasses are purchased soon.

Similarly, the Walmart Supercenter at 299 Valley Gate Drive in Warrington, currently has several solar eclipse glasses in stock, and dozens of additional solar eclipse glasses available online.

What should I look for when buying solar eclipse glasses?

NASA advises skygazers to plan accordingly and ensure they have the safe, and simple, equipment needed for solar viewing.

"When watching a partial or annular solar eclipse directly with your eyes, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses — “eclipse glasses” — or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun," read a portion of NASA's solar eclipse advisory. "Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA does not approve any particular brand of solar viewers.

"Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use; if torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device. Always supervise children using solar viewers."

Your solar eclipse glasses primer: You'll need eye protection for the solar eclipse. Here's what to know about safety glasses

So how are solar eclipse glasses different from that pair of Ray-Bans you have?

Well, they let in entirely too much light than is safe for our eyes when looking directly at the sun. Certified eyewear, on the other hand, is held to an international safety standard and is 100,000 times darker to block nearly all visible, infrared and ultraviolet light.

Often made with a polyester film coated in aluminum, the glasses are highly specialized but also ridiculously common and easy to find – if you know where to look. As the eclipse approaches, many places like local libraries, astronomical observatories, schools and other public agencies will provide proper eyewear, often for free.

Are free eclipse glasses 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 and NASA have certified as safe. 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.

How to make your own low-tech solar eclipse projector

It may be fun to DIY a solar eclipse kit, and NASA has several tips to consider before assembling a projector.

"You can make your own eclipse projector using a cardboard box, a white sheet of paper, tape, scissors, and aluminum foil. With the sun behind you, sunlight will stream through a pinhole punched into aluminum foil taped over a hole in one side

Damon C. Williams covers trending and regional developments for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.

Where to watch solar eclipse in Bucks County and Philadelphia: Don't forget your glasses

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Your go-to guide on preparing for, observing the coming solar eclipse