A total solar eclipse is only days away.
The Moon will completely block the Sun on Wednesday, but most Americans will see nothing.
On August 12, the Moon’s shadow will sweep across Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, Russia, and a small part of Portugal, creating the first total solar eclipse since 2024.
Inside that narrow path, the Moon will completely block the Sun, briefly revealing its normally invisible outer atmosphere, known as the corona.
The United States will remain outside the path of totality.
Only Alaska and parts of the northern and eastern U.S. will see a partial eclipse, with the Moon appearing to take a small bite out of the Sun.
Fairbanks, Alaska, will receive the best American view, with approximately 37 percent of the Sun covered. Anchorage will see 28 percent, while Bangor, Maine, will reach 24 percent.
The effect becomes smaller farther south. Boston will see approximately 16 percent coverage, New York City 9 percent, Philadelphia 7 percent, and Washington, D.C., just 4 percent.
Much of the country will not see the eclipse at all.
Canada will have better views in several regions. Approximately 53 percent of the Sun will be covered in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, while Halifax will reach roughly 31 percent.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. Because the Moon’s orbit is tilted, its shadow usually passes above or below Earth. Even when an eclipse occurs, the path of totality covers only a narrow strip of the planet.
Americans watching the partial eclipse must wear proper eclipse glasses at all times. Regular sunglasses are not safe, and there will be no moment when eye protection can be removed.
The next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States is on August 12, 2045, though the totality will mainly run through the south and west. Pennsylvania will get a good look at that one before experiencing a total eclipse on May 1, 2079.
