There’s A Partial Solar Eclipse This Weekend That You Won't Want To Miss
The weekend is when most Americans like to sleep in (at least who work a typical 9-5 shift Monday through Friday), but if you fancy yourself a stargazer who enjoys celestial events, you'll want to set your Nintendo Alarmo clock (or smartphone's alarm) to go off early tomorrow morning. That's because there is going to be a partial solar eclipse, and depending on where you live, maximum coverage will happen between 6:30 a.m. EST to 7:05 a.m. EST.
"On March 29, 2025, the Moon will pass in front of and partially block the Sun, casting a shadow on parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The central part of the Moon’s shadow, where the Sun would appear completely blocked, misses Earth, so no one will be able to see a total solar eclipse this time," NASA says.
The next total solar eclipse is more than a year away—it will take place on August 12, 2026. Before that, there's an annular solar eclipse occurring on February 17, 2026, and another partial solar eclipse on September 21, 2025.
How To Safely View A Partial (Or Full) Solar Eclipse
NASA warns that proper eye protection is essential, as staring at the Sun—even during a partial eclipse—can cause permanent eye damage. That means investing in a pair of solar viewing glasses, also called eclipse glasses, which NASA points out in capital letters "are NOT regular sunglasses."
"Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. 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.
Even with a set of certified solar/eclipse glasses, NASA says you should never peer at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device. Why? According to NASA, the concentrated solar rays will burn right through the filter. The only exception is if you have a special-purpose solar filter attached to the front of your viewing devices.
It's a little late in the game to order a set a solar viewing glasses online for tomorrow morning's event (you may be able to find a pair locally). Alternatively, NASA has a guide on fashioning an indirect viewing method, like a pinhole projector.
When And Where To See The Partial Solar Eclipse On March 29, 2025
NASA says the partial solar eclipse will already be in progress during sunrise in much of the Americas, including the northeastern United States. For people living in western Europe and northwestern Africa, the partial solar eclipse will occur in mid-to-late morning. And in eastern Europe and northern Asia, most or all of the eclipse will happen in the afternoon or early evening.
For those living in the United States, here are some pertinent times and locations...
You can check out NASA's blog post for more times in areas outside of the United States, including places like Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and many other locales. And in case you're wondering, locations with the highest expected coverage include Nuuk, Greenland (87%), Halifax, Canada (83%), and St. John's, Canada (83%).
In addition the solar eclipse dates outlined, NASA says the next total lunar eclipse will take place on September 7-8, 2025 and be viewable in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, followed by another one on March 3, 2026, which will be viewable in Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, and Americas.
