Solar Eclipse 2017 In NYC: When, Where And How To See It

NEW YORK, NY — New York City is not in the "path of totality" for the "Great American Eclipse," but Big Apple sky-watchers will still get to see a phenomenon known as a partial solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

While the moon won't pass directly in front of the sun — that's happening farther south in the country — the moon will partially obscure the sun's light for a few minutes during the afternoon, making for a fascinating experience that doesn't happen too often.

You'll at least want to poke your head out of your office for a few minutes to soak it in. Here's what you need to know. (For the latest on the eclipse, and other stories about your NYC neighborhood, subscribe to Patch to get a daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.)

What am I looking at?

At its peak, the moon will block out about 72 percent of the sun over New York City, according to Space.com. That means that, for a few minutes, the sky will be darker, the air will get cooler and birds and other animals may stop making noise.

A cool NASA tool shows us exactly what the sun will look like at its peak over NYC:

When will this happen?

The partial eclipse will begin around 1:23 p.m. Eastern time as the moon creeps its way in front of the sun. The peak will come around 2:44 p.m., with about 76 percent of the sun blocked.

Things will be back to normal after 4 p.m. or so.

How do I see it?

The temptation may be to just look up. Scientists all agree: Don't do that! Even though the moon is blocking parts of its light, staring at an eclipse can be just as dangerous as staring directly at the sun.

NASA recommends getting a special set of eclipse glasses that meet these criteria:

• Have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard
• Have the manufacturer’s name and address printed on the product
• Are less than three years old and don't have scratched or wrinkled lenses

If you can't get your hands on a pair (most are already sold out on Amazon), here's a cool idea from Neal deGrasse Tyson, via Space.com:

"Go into your kitchen and get a spaghetti strainer or a colander," Tyson said. "Not with mesh, the kind with holes in it. Go outside and hold that up over the ground. Each one of those holes will act as a pinhole camera and you'll see hundreds of images of the crescent sun on the ground and you can watch the eclipse unfold safely…that's the urban version of watching the pinhole camera images through the modeled light of sunlight passing through the leaves of a tree. It'll just be fun."

Are there going to be watch parties in NYC?

You betcha.

The American Museum of Natural History will hold one at its Hayden Planetarium along with a panel of experts. The New York Library's Pelham Bay Park branch in the Bronx is having a viewing party, complete with complimentary glasses.

In Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Grange will have a viewing on its roof, and the Clinton Hill Library will host a party with complimentary glasses (while supplies last).

For more ideas, check out this list from Curbed.

Image via NASA