Where To Head For Solar Eclipse Viewing Events On Long Island

LONG ISLAND, NY — Monday's full solar eclipse will be visible across a narrow route, referred to as the path of totality, but people can still experience it throughout the rest of the state, including on Long Island, where the eclipse will reach about 89 percent of totality. Here's where to gather with others for the rare event.

The roughly 100-mile wide path will enter the southwestern part of the state at just after 3:15 p.m. and will depart northern New York just before 3:30 p.m. Cities and towns within the path include Jamestown, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Watertown, Old Forge, Lake Placid and Plattsburgh.

The Capital Region will see 96 percent totality, compared to Long Beach, with 89 percent of the sun covered by the moon's shadow during the event.

The eclipse will last for up to 2-and-a-half hours, marking the time the sun is first obstructed to the last moments when the moon’s shadow is cast.

People can gather to watch at several Long Island events:

• Cradle of Aviation Museum, Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale. Noon - 4:45 p.m. 516-572-4111
• Custer Institute & Observatory, 1115 Main Bayview Road, Southold. Advance registration is recommended. 631-765-2626
• Long Island Explorium, 101 East Broadway, Port Jefferson. 1 p.m. Limited space. 631-331-3277
• Sunken Meadow State Park, Rte 908K, Kings Park.
• Connetquot River State Park, 4090 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale
• Hallock State Park Preserve, 6062 Sound Avenue, Riverhead

According to NASA, a solar eclipse takes place when the moon moves between the sun and earth, leaving the earth in shadow and either fully or blocking the sun in some places for a short time.

Eclipses — even partial ones — can only be safely observed directly with specialized solar viewing glasses or a handheld solar viewer. Regular sunglasses, polarized or otherwise, are not a safe replacement for solar eclipse glasses.

Scam companies are offering counterfeit eclipse glasses that do not provide enough protection. Search for the manufacturer’s details on the glasses and verify their credibility online. Look for the ISO certification label.

A pinhole projector is a safe, tried-and-true option. The Exploratorium in San Francisco explains the easiest way to make one.

Related: You Must Protect Your Eyes, Regardless Of Eclipse Totality: What You Need

The next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous U.S. will not be until August 2044.