Later today all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totality can see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights - a total solar eclipse. This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun's tenuous atmosphere - the corona - can be seen, outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk.
What is It?
This celestial event is a solar eclipse in which the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for up to about three hours, from beginning to end, as viewed from a given location. For this eclipse, the longest period when the moon completely blocks the sun from any given location along the path will be about two minutes and 40 seconds. The last time the contiguous U.S. saw a total eclipse was in 1979.
Who can see it?
Everyone in North America plus parts of South America, Africa, and Europe will see at least a partial solar eclipse. UAE residents will have to make do with live streams starting at 8pm this evening with the peak of the eclipse taking place at approximately 8.55pm
How to see it?
Courtesy of NASA, viewers around the world will be provided a wealth of images captured before, during, and after the eclipse by 11 spacecraft, at least three NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons, and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station – each offering a unique vantage point for the celestial event.
Watch live, beginning at 8pm today.
Eclipse Live: Video streams from NASA Television
Alternate NASA live streams:
Facebook Live -- https://www.facebook.com/NASA/videos/10155497958441772/
Twitter/Periscope -- https://www.pscp.tv/nasa
YouTube -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwMDvPCGeE0