North America will be treated to a total solar eclipse later this year, but just how long will the celestial show last?
Naturally, it depends on where you’re viewing it from.
According to NASA, most major cities along the path of the eclipse, which runs from southern Texas all the way to the northeastern United States, can expect totality to last from two-to-four minutes, give or take a few seconds.
For example, in Carbondale, totality will last from roughly 1:59 p.m. to 2:03 p.m., according to NASA. In Evansville, Indiana, totality will be slightly shorter, lasting from 2:02 p.m. to 2:05 p.m.
The length of time that a site will see totality varies based on how far they are from the precise middle of the eclipse’s path across the country, with areas further from that middle seeing totality for a shorter length of time.
Totality is the period of time when it is safe to look at a solar eclipse with the naked eye. During that time period, the moon covers a large enough portion of the sun to block light, and the UV rays from the sun are also temporarily reduced.
Once totality ends, eclipse-seekers will once again need to use specially-designed glasses or other methods to safely view the eclipse’s impacts.
Local
Even though totality only lasts for a matter of minutes, a partial eclipse will still be visible for several hours. In Carbondale, that partial eclipse will last for more than two and a half hours, running from 12:42 p.m. to 3:18 p.m.
That partial eclipse will require special glasses or other methods to safely see, as UV rays from the sun can cause permanent damage to unprotected eyes.
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