Partial solar eclipse March 2025: Map, path, and best times to see the celestial event on Saturday
At the beginning of the hit 2003 movie Love Actually, Hugh Grant’s character muses that whenever he gets gloomy about the state of the world, he redirects his attention to the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.
Another remedy would be to consider the vast natural wonders of space, but perhaps that’s more of a William Shatner move.
Regardless of your leading-man preference, if you are in need of some wonder this week, there will be a partial solar eclipse early Saturday morning visible in certain parts of the world. Here’s what that all means and where and how to best see it.
What is a partial solar eclipse?
The moon orbits the Earth while our home planet orbits the sun. When the moon travels between the sun and Earth, an eclipse takes place. The type depends on how the three moving objects line up. If it is not in a perfect line, a partial eclipse occurs.
If it is a perfect line, the sun is completely blocked and a total eclipse occurs. (Cue Bonnie Tyler.) When the moon travels between the sun and the Earth while at its farthest point away from Earth, this is called an annular solar eclipse. (No great pop songs have yet been written about this phenomenon.)
When and where can you see the partial solar eclipse?
The eclipse will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
According to NASA, people in the northeastern United States, Europe, western Africa, eastern Canada, and over the Atlantic Ocean are in for a show.
Shortly after a beautiful sunrise, those on the East Coast of the United States will witness a partial solar eclipse.
Those in New York City should expect it to begin at 6:44 a.m ET. Things kick off even earlier in Boston at 6:31 a.m.
The folks at NASA have compiled a handy list of major cities and the exact timeline for your convenience.
What is the best way to view the eclipse?
The first rule of viewing a partial solar eclipse is safety. You cannot look directly at it without damaging your eyes. You need solar eclipse glasses.
The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved vendors, which can help you procure some.
Other than that, set multiple alarms to ensure you don’t sleep or work through it. If you need a hand waking up, brew some coffee. Then look up and marvel at the sky and for a moment feel a small part of a larger universe—just like Captain Kirk.