Community Corner

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

We're not among some 32 million Americans living in the path of totality, but neither will we miss out on the celestial sensation.

Reston residents will not see the total eclipse on April 8, but they'll still be able to see 90 percent of the sun's surface obscured by the moon.
Reston residents will not see the total eclipse on April 8, but they'll still be able to see 90 percent of the sun's surface obscured by the moon. (NASA via AP)

RESTON, VA — Excitement is building in Reston for the April 8 total solar eclipse. We’re not among some 32 million Americans living in the path of totality, but neither will we 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 Reston the moon will cover about 87.7 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:

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Partial eclipse begins: 2:04 p.m
  • Maximum: 3:20 p.m.
  • Partial ends: 4:32 p.m.

The eclipse will last 2 hours and 28 minutes from beginning to end in Reston.

Here are some of the places around Fairfax County to watch the eclipse:

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Right now, it looks like we could have partly cloudy skies for the big event, according to NASA's forecast.



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.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.