Boston residents will have an opportunity to see a partial solar eclipse Wednesday, August 12, when the Moon will cover 16% of the Sun at the eclipse’s peak, according to NASA.
The partial eclipse will begin in Boston at 1:01 p.m. and reach maximum coverage at 1:55 p.m. The event will end at 2:46 p.m.
Boston is outside the path of totality, meaning the Moon will not completely cover the Sun at any point during the eclipse. Instead, the Moon will appear to take a portion of the Sun’s disk throughout the event.
The Aug. 12 eclipse will be total along a narrow path extending from northern Russia through Greenland and Iceland, across the North Atlantic and into Spain. For most locations along that path, totality will last less than two minutes.
For Boston viewers, proper eye protection is required throughout the partial eclipse. NASA says regular sunglasses are not safe for looking directly at the Sun.
Eclipse glasses, handheld solar viewers or other safe solar filters can be used to observe the eclipse. NASA recommends equipment that complies with the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
Viewers should not look at the Sun through cameras, binoculars or telescopes while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer. Specialized solar filters must be attached to the front of those optical devices.
An indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector, can also allow viewers to observe the eclipse without looking directly at the Sun.
The eclipse will also be visible elsewhere across New England, with greater coverage in parts of Maine. Portland will see 19% coverage at 1:53 p.m., while Bangor will see 24% coverage at 1:53 p.m.
