No Glasses? View The Eclipse At Novins Planetarium At Ocean County College

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Even though New Jersey is not within the path of totality, lots of residents are jumping at the chance to see the first solar eclipse to cross the continental United States since 1918.

If you haven't gotten solar eclipse glasses or merely want to experience the event with other people, the Robert J. Novins Planetarium at Ocean County College is offering to make it even easier with an eclipse viewing party at the planetarium.

The event is free and no reservations are needed, planetarium officials said.

"Join us for the first total solar eclipse in the USA since 1979 and the first visible eclipse from all 48 contiguous United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) since June 8, 1918," the planetarium's Facebook event says. (Get more updates and news from the Patch delivered directly to your inbox. Click here to sign up for breaking news alerts and newsletters.)

Planetarium officials say New Jersey will be able to see about 75 percent of the sun covered by the moon during the eclipse; in Toms River, the eclipse will run from 1:23 p.m. to 4:02 p.m. with the maximum coverage at 2:45 p.m. Anyone can come at any time.

"It is very important to never look directly at the sun even when mostly covered by the moon," planetarium officials said.

Special eye protection or solar filters will be required to view the eclipse live, and the planetarium will have telescopes with special solar filters set up outside the planetarium to view the eclipse.

The eclipse viewing party is hosted by the ASTRA Astronomy Club and Robert J. Novins Planetarium and runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 21. It is free and no reservations are required.

Read more here.

If you're interested in the ASTRA Astronomy Club, it meets on the second Friday of each month (except August) at 7 p.m. in the OCC Conference Building 10 across from the planetarium. Use parking lot 2, go up the ramp and go to the right to Building 10.

Image via NASA