When, How To See Eclipse In Phoenixville Area

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Excitement is building around the Phoenixville area and beyond for the April 8 total solar eclipse. While southeastern Pennsylvanians are not among some 32 million Americans living in the path of totality, local residents will not entirely miss out on the celestial sensation.

In the United States, the path of absolute 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 Chester County, the moon will cover about 89.8 percent of the sun at the peak of the eclipse, according to a NASA map that is searchable by ZIP code.

Here are the details:

• Partial eclipse begins: 2:08 p.m.
• Near-totality begins: 2:49 p.m.
• Maximum: 3:23 p.m.
• Totality ends: 3:56 p.m.
• Partial ends: 4:34 p.m.

Several events will be held around the area.

Valley Forge National Park is organizing a special eclipse viewing event. The event will take place on Monday, April 8 at the Wayne's Woods picnic area from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Park staff will be on hand with eclipse glasses, games for children, Junior Ranger Explorer booklets and badges, crafts for kids, and more.

West Chester University, similarly, will have an event at the South Campus "S" parking lot on Monday, April 8 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event is organized by the school's Mather Planetarium and will feature free glasses for the first 70 arrivals, as well as telescopes for viewing.

Related: North Penn To Hold Special Programming During Eclipse For Students

Right now, weather looks perfect for the big day in the greater Philadelphia area. It will be mostly sunny on Monday, April 8, with a high near 61.

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.