Solar eclipse to occur next week. Here is what to know : NPR

On Wednesday, people across Europe and parts of the United States will have the opportunity to witness a solar eclipse.

Astronomers report that a total eclipse will be visible in Iceland, Greenland, northern Russia, Spain, and a portion of Portugal. During this event, the moon will completely obscure the Sun. Meanwhile, NASA informs that northern regions of the U.S., ranging from Alaska to North Carolina, will experience a partial eclipse.

In a partial solar eclipse, the moon moves between the Sun and Earth, but the alignment isn’t exact, leaving parts of the Sun visible as a crescent.

According to NASA, the partial eclipse will start at approximately 1:17 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C., with about 4% of the Sun covered. In Reykjavík, Iceland, the total eclipse will commence at 5:48 p.m. local time, while in León, Spain, totality will begin at 8:28 p.m. and last two minutes. This marks the first solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain since 1905, as noted by the European Space Agency.

Viewers of either the total or partial eclipse will need special equipment like eclipse glasses or handheld viewers with filters to protect their eyes. Regular sunglasses are not sufficient, as looking at the Sun can cause serious eye damage or even permanent vision loss, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

While the eclipse offers a chance for skywatchers to admire the rare event, scientists will also use it to gather more information about the Sun. NASA plans to deploy scientific balloons and a high-altitude jet to examine how a temporarily darkened sky affects the Earth’s atmosphere.

“From our unique perspective on Earth during a total solar eclipse, scientists can study the Sun’s corona in a way we can’t from anywhere else in the solar system,” said Kelly Korreck, eclipse program manager for NASA, in a statement.