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How, When to View Total Solar Eclipse in August

We are now just a little more than a month away from the first total solar eclipse on the U.S. mainland since 1979.

It is also the first total solar eclipse to cross the continental United States in 99 years and will happen Aug. 21.

Hotels in the path are booked, some trips have been planned for years, this is a big deal!

Here in North Texas, we won't get the full effect. We'll see a partial eclipse as the moon covers part of the sun. The total eclipse will stretch from Salem, Oregon, to Charleston, South Carolina, and you must be in the path to see the eclipse in totality.

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Cities along this path will see the moon completely covering the sun and the sun's atmosphere allowing for the corona to be seen. In North Texas, you will see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk. This can last for over an hour.

The partial eclipse will happen roughly between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Texas.

NASA has created an interactive map showing you how long the partial eclipse will last your in your neighborhood.

In order to view the eclipse, you need to wear special glasses with special-purpose solar filters. Looking directly at the sun can severely hurt your eyes.

NASA recommends checking with local science museums, schools and astronomy clubs for eclipse glasses.

If you purchase them, buy an ISO 12312-2 compliant and CE certified pair of these special glasses.

You can also watch it here.

Other options for viewing include a welding mask with a No. 14 shade or darker, telescope with solar filters or pinhole projectors. Don't rely on your sun glasses, they do not offer the correct protection.

We will alter the forecast as we get closer to the event, but viewing conditions should be good at the end of August. The usual weather pattern across Texas in mid-August is a ridge of high pressure overhead allowing for clear skies.

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