How and when to safely watch the rare ‘Ring of Fire’

Who will be able to see it?

The eclipse is rare because it will follow a slightly wider path over more populated areas of the continental U.S. compared to other total solar eclipses in recent memory.

NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live within the roughly 100-mile-wide path of totality this year and that an additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of the path.

After it crosses Mexico, the eclipse’s path will travel through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Tiny parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also be able to witness totality if conditions are clear.

After it makes its way through the U.S., the eclipse will cross into Canada, passing over southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, at the eastern end of Nova Scotia.

The most spectacular views will require being within the path of totality, but people coast to coast still have the opportunity to take part in the astronomical event. A partial solar eclipse will be visible throughout all 48 states of the contiguous U.S., and NASA (along with several other organizations) plans to stream live views of the total solar eclipse online.

When will it happen?

The timing, including the length of totality, will vary depending on location, but some spots will experience darkness and the ring of fire for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds.

Below is a list of timings for some populated cities along the path of totality, as provided by NASA, but there are a number of other resources online, including at NationalEclipse.com and TimeandDate.com, to help people plan where to be and what to expect on the day.

Dallas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:23 p.m. CT; totality begins at 1:40 p.m. CT; totality ends at 1:44 p.m. CT; partial eclipse ends at 3:02 p.m. CT.

Little Rock, Arkansas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:33 p.m. CT; totality begins at 1:51 p.m. CT; totality ends at 1:54 p.m. CT; partial eclipse ends at 3:11 p.m. CT.

Cleveland: Partial eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. ET; totality begins at 3:13 p.m. ET; totality ends at 3:17 p.m. ET; partial eclipse ends at 4:29 p.m. ET.

Buffalo, New York: Partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. ET; totality begins at 3:18 p.m. ET; totality ends at 3:22 p.m. ET; partial eclipse ends at 4:32 p.m. ET.

Lancaster, New Hampshire: Partial eclipse begins at 2:16 p.m. ET; totality begins at 3:27 p.m. ET; totality ends at 3:30 p.m. ET; partial eclipse ends at 4:38 p.m. ET.