If you possibly can, you should definitely try to get in a position to see the total eclipse, since this is the most spectacular astronomical phenomenon you will ever see! If that's not possible, though, the partial eclipse will still be a spectacular event, well worth seeing. This page give the low-down on what you can expect to see, and where.
Please remember that a partial solar eclipse is never safe to look at with the naked eye. At all times you must use proper solar viewing protection. For more information, see our eye safety page.
Introduction
The partial eclipse as a whole will begin at 15:46:51 UT, and end at 21:04:24 UT. When you will be able to see it, and how deep an eclipse you will see, depend on where you are.
The eclipse coverage, based on the
NASA eclipse dataGSFC Eclipse Web Site
The primary source of all the information on eclipses presented here at Hermit Eclipse. (NASA Goddard Space flight Center)
. Green areas see a partial eclipse; the red band sees the total eclipse.
As you can see from the map, the partial eclipse will be visible from the whole of North America, and Hawaii. The blue lines running across the map show how deep an eclipse can be seen in various places. So, for example, southern Texas will see an eclipse covering 0.6, or 60% of the Sun; whereas the SF bay area will see an 80% eclipse. In fact most of the US will see an 80% eclipse, the main exceptions being southern California; most of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas; and north-east of the Great Lakes.
Hawaii
Hawaii will see the partial eclipse as the Sun rises. Honolulu will see the Sun rise at 16:12 UT, which is actually 22 minutes after the partial eclipse begins. Maximum eclipse at Honolulu will occur at 16:35:58 UT, with 39% of the Sun's diameter covered; since the Sun will be just 5 degrees above the horizon, a clear view to the east will be needed to see the spectacle. The partial eclipse will end at 17:25:21 UT.
In Hilo, the situation will be similar. The Sun will rise at 16:02 UT, about 10 minutes after the start of the partial eclipse; maximum eclipse is at 16:35:50 UT, with 32% of the Sun's diameter covered; and the partial eclipse ends at 17:22:42 UT. The Sun will be 7 degrees above the horizon at maximum eclipse.
Alaska
Alaska is quite far north of the eclipse centreline, but most of the state will see the sun covered between 40% and 60% at maximum, the best view being in the south.
Fairbanks will see the partial eclipse from 16:29–18:16 UT, with maximum at 17:21:57 UT, when the Sun will be 48% covered. The Sun will be quite low, just 20 degrees above the horizon at maximum, so a clear view to the east will be a help.
Anchorage fares better, being farther south. The partial eclipse will be visible from 16:22–18:14 UT, with maximum at 17:16:16 UT, when the Sun will be eclipsed over 56% of its diameter; it will be just 19 degrees above the horizon at maximum, though, so again a clear view to the east will be advisable.
Juneau, farther south, gets a better view. Here the partial eclipse lasts from 16:19–18:25 UT, with maximum at 17:19:50 UT; the Sun will be covered over 64% of its diameter at maximum, and will be 28 degrees above the horizon.
Canada
Southern regions of Canada will see an impressive partial eclipse, particularly towards the west. Vancouver will see the eclipse from 16:10–18:38 UT, with maximum at 17:21:10 UT, with 88% of the Sun's diameter covered. Calgary has an 81% eclipse with the maximum at 17:33:13 UT; Edmonton, farther north, gets only a 75% eclipse, with the maximum at 17:35:02 UT.
Winnipeg sees the partial eclipse from 16:40–19:16 UT, with the maximum at 17:57:38 UT covering 76% of the Sun's diameter. Iqaluit, in the far north, will see the Sun only 30% eclipsed, from 17:31–19:10 UT, with maximum at 18:20:52 UT. Ottawa has a 68% eclipse peaking at 18:35:31 UT, and Quebec 61% at 18:39:55 UT, with the partial eclipse lasting from 17:26–19:49 UT. Finally St. John's, Newfoundland, sees the partial eclipse from 18:00–19:55 UT, with the Sun's diameter obscured 43% at maximum eclipse, 18:59:08 UT.
Lower 48
The entirety of the Lower 48 states will see a deep partial eclipse, with at least 60% of the Sun's diameter covered in all but the most extreme north and south; in fact, most of the country will see an 80% eclipse or more. This will be quite a spectacle wherever you are.
The partial eclipse reaches the west coast in the morning. It is visible in Seattle from 16:09–18:39 UT, with a maximum 93% eclipse at 17:20:55 UT; and in San Francisco from 16:02–18:38 UT with a maximum of 80% at 17:15:15 UT. San Diego sees only a 66% eclipse, the maximum being at 17:23:12 UT; LA fares slightly better with 69% at 17:21:17 UT.
After this, the eclipse moves across the US, taking about one and a half hours to cross the country. Viewers roughly north of Albuquerque / Dallas / New Orleans and south of Grand Forks / Duluth / Detroit / Philadelphia will see an 80% eclipse or more; this shrinks to 60% as far south as the Mexico / US border (mostly a little way south of that) and as far north-east as northern Maine.
Denver will see the eclipse peak at 17:47:07 UT, with 93% of the Sun covered; the partial eclipse will run from 16:23–19:15 UT. Houston gets a 73% eclipse with maximum at 18:16:58 UT, and Chicago an 89% eclipse peaking at 18:19:50 UT.
On the east coast, New York city sees the partial eclipse from 17:23–20:01 UT, with maximum at 18:45:00 UT, with 77% of the Sun's diameter eclipsed at maximum. Washington sees an 84% eclipse peaking at 18:42:49 UT; Jacksonville, 92% at 18:47:47 UT; and Miami sees the eclipse from 17:27–20:21 UT with the Sun 82% covered at 18:58:26 UT.
Central and South America
Most of Mexico will see a partial eclipse of between 30% and 60%, with the deepest eclipse seen along the U.S. border, and in the northern tip of the Yucatán peninsula.
In the west, La Paz will see a 41% eclipse with maximum at 17:41:40 UT; Oaxaca will see a 34% eclipse, with the maximum at 18:31:20 UT. Mexico City sees the partial eclipse from 17:02–19:38 UT, with the Sun covered 38% at the maximum, 18:20:13 UT. Cancún will see the Sun covered 60% at maximum eclipse, which occurs at 18:51:35 UT.
Guatemala City will see the partial eclipse lasting from 17:36–20:06 UT, with the maximum at 18:53:26 UT, when the Sun will be 36% covered. Since the eclipse path is running south-west, most of Central America will see an eclipse of similar depth; Panama City sees a 39% eclipse, with the maximum at 19:28:22 UT.
Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana will all see an eclipse of between 40% and 65%, except for the southern part of Venezuela; Colombia and northern Brazil see 20% or more; and Ecuador, northern Peru, and central Brazil will see a narrow eclipse of up to 20%. Caracas sees an eclipse of 62% with the maximum at 19:45:35 UT.
Caribbean, Atlantic, Europe
The Greater Antilles in the Caribbean will see a deep eclipse, of 80% or more in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; the magnitude of the eclipse diminishes down the Lesser Antilles and the Caymans, but will still be impressive.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, will see an 84% eclipse with the maximum at 19:34:38 UT; Parham Town, in Tortola, will see the partial eclipse from 18:15–20:48 UT, with a maximum 86% coverage occurring at 19:36:31 UT. In Martinique, maximum eclipse will be at 19:46:16 UT, when the Sun will be 80% covered.
In Bermuda, Hamilton sees the partial eclipse from 17:51–20:25 UT, with the maximum at 19:12:44 UT, when the Sun will be 84% eclipsed. Farther out in the Atlantic, Horta, in the Azores, sees 40% of the Sun obscured at 19:27:10 UT, with the partial eclipse lasting from 18:37–20:13 UT.
Some observers in western Europe, particularly the British Isles, will be able to see the partial eclipse at sunset. The Ballycroy area in Ireland will see a partial eclipse covering 10% of the Sun from 18:37–19:27 UT; Stornoway sees a sliver of a partial eclipse from 18:36–19:13 UT; and Penzance sees 13% of the Sun covered from 18:40 UT to sunset at 19:29 UT.
The telescopes in La Palma will see a 53% eclipse at 19:40:56 UT, almost exactly sunset. Farther east in the Canaries, parts of the eclipse will be visible, but maximum eclipse occurs after sunset.
Mindelo, in the Cape Verde islands, will see the partial eclipse starting near sunset, at 18:58 UT; maximum eclipse will be at 19:56:01 UT, when the Sun will be 84% eclipsed. The Sun will be just 4 degrees above the horizon at this point. The eclipse will still be going at local sunset, at 20:01 UT. Farther west in the Cape Verdes, the Sun will set before maximum eclipse; however, islanders should still see a spectacular eclipse if they have a clear view to the west.
