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Several Options Available For Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing Today

Flickr user Ravenshoe Group / " Solar Eclipse - Tree Silhouette" (CC v. 2.0)

There will be a partial solar eclipse today. It will be visible around 2:40 p.m. and end before 7 p.m. in DeKalb and surrounding areas.

Thomas Willmitch, Planetarium Director at Illinois State University, talked about what to expect with the upcoming solar eclipse.

“We’re going to see the moon pass between the earth and the sun, taking a bite out of the sun and it’s going to occur towards the end of the day. So we are actually going to see the moon passing across the face of the sun as the sun sets, it’ll be quite a sight.” --- Thomas Willmitch, Illinois State University Planetarium Director

He also stresses the importance of safely viewing solar eclipses with adequate eye protection.

“It’s never a good idea to look directly at the sun, even at sunset. So you need some sort of eye protection designed for doing astronomy.” --- Thomas Willmitch, Illinois State University Planetarium Director

Willmitch says regular sun glasses you buy at the store are not meant for staring directly into the sun. You can purchase safe eclipse viewing glasses online for less than a dollar.

Solar eclipses occur about twice a year. With a partial solar eclipse, only about 40% of the sun’s surface will be blocked by the moon. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon perfectly aligns with the sun. The moon blocks out the bright light from the sun.

The Adler Planetarium in Chicago will be open to the public for free viewings of the event. The solar eclipse can also be lived-streamed from various locations.

You can view the partial solar eclipse for free at the NIU Observatory starting at 3:30 p.m. and ending at sundown.

The NIU Observatory is located in Davis Hall Room 703. For more information, contact Observatory Manager Daniel Stange at (815) 753-1305.