Partial Solar Eclipse Visible From North Carolina Wednesday

North Carolina skywatchers will have a chance to see a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday, Aug. 12, as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun.

NASA says the path of totality will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain and a small corner of Portugal. North Carolina is at the southeastern edge of the U.S. area where a partial eclipse will be visible, meaning viewers here will see only a small portion of the Sun covered rather than totality.

Across the northern contiguous United States, NASA says the partial phase begins around midday and continues into the midafternoon farther east. Exact timing and how much of the Sun is covered will vary by location.

Because North Carolina will experience only a partial eclipse, there is no safe period to look directly at the Sun without proper protection. NASA says viewers should use eclipse glasses or a safe handheld solar viewer that complies with the ISO 12312-2 standard. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient, and cameras, binoculars and telescopes require special solar filters mounted on the front of the optics.

NASA will also provide live coverage of the total eclipse beginning at 1:15 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday. Totality begins in Iceland at 1:45 p.m. Eastern and in Spain at 2:28 p.m. Eastern.

For North Carolina, the event is a modest but unusual midday skywatching opportunity — and a reminder to use certified solar-viewing protection for every direct look at the Sun.