An eclipse is a celestial event that happens when a planet, a moon, and a star line up in a specific way. When the moon is in the middle of the lineup, a solar eclipse occurs. As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun.

During a total eclipse, the sun will gradually disappear behind the moon and then reappear. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk, and the sun’s outer “corona” will be visible at this time. Roanoke will experience a partial eclipse, which is when the moon covers a portion of the sun. The partial eclipse will peak at 3:15 p.m., at 88% coverage.

The continental U.S. will not experience another total solar eclipse until 2045.

On a sunny day, if you look at the sun, the bright light hurts your eyes, making you look away. During most of a solar eclipse, the sun will be partly blocked by the moon, making it less bright. This tricks your eyes into being able to look at the sun. But doing so means the sun’s rays can burn a part of your eye called the retina, causing vision loss or blindness. Even a brief glance at the sun during an eclipse can result in temporary or permanent damage to your eyes!

Special equipment or indirect viewing methods are required to be able to safely view an eclipse. Regular sunglasses, swimming goggles, and most camera filters are NOT safe for looking directly at the sun. You can either use certified solar-viewing glasses, which are available for free at Roanoke Public Libraries, or observe the sun indirectly using these suggestions.

• American Astronomical Society Eclipse Resources
• Exploratorium Guide to the 2024 Solar Eclipse
• Information sheet from the National Science Teaching Association
• NASA Guide to Solar Eclipse
• NASA Solar Eclipse Resources
• Scholastic: 7 Activities to Get Kids Excited for the Solar Eclipse

Local organizations are hosting watch party events to observe the partial eclipse. Several of these events also include the ability to receive solar-viewing glasses. View the list of events here.