If you get up early enough in New York City this Thursday morning, June 10, you’ll be able to witness something of a cosmic wonder: a partial solar eclipse.
With sunrise beginning at 5:24 a.m., the partial eclipse will be viewable starting at 5:32 a.m. in New York City. The partial eclipse will be visible until 6:30 a.m.; at its peak, the sun will be in the shape of a large crescent or banana.
Those who do take part in watching the eclipse should not look directly at the sun throughout the duration of the eclipse. Staring at the sun is dangerous on a normal day, and during the eclipse is no exception.
You’ll need a pair of eclipse glasses if you want to look directly at it, which are available online or perhaps you have a pair from the near-total eclipse in 2017, or you can make an eclipse viewing projector out of a cereal box.
You can always watch the partial eclipse from home, but here are a few ways you can enjoy the eclipse virtually or in-person on Thursday.
Field #40 at Randall’s Island with Amateur Astronomers Association of NY
If you want to experience the partial eclipse in person, Amateur Astronomers Association of NY is hosting a viewing at Randall’s Island right before sunrise, which is at 5:24 a.m. Solar filters will be provided for free. It’s free to join, but registering on Eventbrite ahead of time is encouraged. The organization will also livestream the event on Facebook and YouTube.
Partial solar eclipse livestreams on Facebook
You can check out the partial eclipse without leaving the comfort of your home by checking out a livestream on Facebook. Organizations such as Astronomers Without Borders and Every Day is Different are hosting livestream events where eclipse enthusiasts can come together and watch the partial eclipse online.
The Empire State Building
Everyone knows that the top of the Empire State Building has some of the best views in New York City, so naturally, you can head there for a special partial solar eclipse viewing event. Tickets are $114 and can be bought ahead of time on the Empire State Building website.
New York City last enjoyed a solar eclipse in August 2017. After Thursday’s celestial encounter, the next chance to catch a solar eclipse will be April 8, 2024, during which up to 90% of the sun will be obscured for a few minutes during the afternoon hours.
