Total Solar Eclipse 2017: Will New Jersey See It?

Next month, a solar eclipse will be visible across the United States for the first time since 1918. If the weather holds up, it should be visible across New Jersey, experts say.

But don't expect to get a total solar eclipse that will be much more visible in the South, according to the National Weather Service. However, locals should prepare themselves anyway for this event that will take place on Monday, Aug. 21.

The National Weather Service says New Jersey will likely get what's considered a "partial" solar eclipse — meaning that we'll see 70 to 75 percent of the sun covered by the moon — that will start shortly after 1 p.m. and reach its peak just before 3 p.m.

The NWS says the agency will likely be able to predict whether the weather will impact viewing conditions about a week ahead of time. NASA, however, warns never to look directly at the sun during the event; it can permanently damage your eyes. You must use proper safety equipment to look at any type of solar eclipse.

The map below shows a shadow where people in North America will be able to get at least some glimpse of the eclipse. The dot shows where the eclipse will be in totality.

The best viewing areas will be Virginia and south, since the eclipse's path will go through the Carolinas. Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., will see about 81 percent of the sun covered during the event; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Virginia, will see 85. Towns like Roanoke, Blacksburg and Danville in Virginia have the best view in the state — about 90 percent of the sun covered.

South Carolina and Nashville are in the path of the totality, if you want to make the trek. The total eclipse viewing corridor will stretch across 14 states, according to NASA. The first sighting in the U.S. on Aug. 21 will be in Lincoln Beach, Oregon, at 9:05 a.m. PDT (12:05 p.m. EST), and it will last be seen in Charleston, South Carolina, at 4:05 p.m.

If you can’t travel to a location for the viewing, you can see NASA’s live stream of the eclipse here. The total eclipse corridor is 70 miles wide.

The path of the Great American Eclipse through the region will clip the mountains of North Carolina before it cuts its trajectory through the Upstate of South Carolina, Columbia, then the coast.

The last total eclipse visible in the contiguous United States occurred in 1979, according to NASA. This will be the first eclipse visible from all 48 contiguous United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) since June 8, 1918.

You can also use this interactive Google map to find the spot of the longest eclipse. And an interactive map with additional events throughout the U.S. is found here.

Watch this NASA video illustrating how an eclipse works:

Solar eclipse viewing tips

Again, looking directly at the sun is unsafe, and the only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special “eclipse glasses” with solar filters, warns NASA, which offers these tips:

• Homemade filters or sunglasses are not safe for looking at the sun. Five manufacturers have certified that their eclipse glasses and handheld solar views meet international standards, and they are Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical, TSE 17 and Baader Planetarium.
• Always inspect your solar filter before use; if scratched or damaged, discard it. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter. Always supervise children using solar filters.
• Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the bright sun. After glancing at the sun, turn away and remove your filter — do not remove it while looking at the sun.
• Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device. Similarly, do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury. Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, a telescope, binoculars or any other optical device.
• If you are within the path of totality, remove your solar filter only when the moon completely covers the sun’s bright face and it suddenly gets quite dark. Experience totality, then, as soon as the bright sun begins to reappear, replace your solar viewer to glance at the remaining partial phases.
• An alternative method for safe viewing of the partially eclipsed sun is pinhole projection. For example, cross the outstretched, slightly open fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other. With your back to the sun, look at your hands’ shadow on the ground. The little spaces between your fingers will project a grid of small images on the ground, showing the sun as a crescent during the partial phases of the eclipse.

Kimberly Johnson (Patch Staff) contributed to this article.

Image via NASA