Total Solar Eclipse: How Much We’ll See In Santa Monica, When To See It

SANTA MONICA, CA — Excitement is building in Santa Monica for the April 8 total solar eclipse. We’re not among some 32 million Americans living in the path of totality, but we won't miss out on the celestial sensation.

In the United States, the path of totality extends from Texas to Maine, but each of the 48 continental states will see some of the solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon slips between our bright star and Earth.

In Santa Monica, the moon will cover about 49 percent of the sun's area at the peak of the eclipse, according to a NASA map that is searchable by ZIP code.

Here are the details for Santa Monica:

Partial eclipse begins: 10:06 a.m.
Peak: 11:12 a.m.
Partial ends: 12:21 p.m.

The eclipse will last two hours and 15 minutes from beginning to end in Santa Monica.

NASA's forecast calls for partly cloudy skies in Santa Monica during the eclipse.

Where to watch:

• The Mount Wilson Observatory, located high above Pasadena, will stream the eclipse to the auditorium, weather permitting. It will be projected in hydrogen alpha, allowing visitors to see surface features of the sun. The 150-foot solar tower telescope will also be open for live projection.
• Griffith Observatory isn't hosting an in-person viewing event, but will be broadcasting the total eclipse live from Texas in an online stream. Visitors are still welcome to come to the observatory on their own.

Experts warn that people should never gaze directly at the sun during a solar eclipse, even when it's partly covered by the moon. Doing so can cause severe eye damage.

Special eclipse glasses are available for purchase — and Warby Parker is giving them away at its LA-area stores — while more enterprising amateur astronomers can build homemade projectors.

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

The total solar eclipse starts in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as small parts of Tennessee and Michigan, before entering Canada in southern Ontario through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton before exiting continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

• Related: Animals May Behave Oddly During Eclipse