The Rare Natural Phenomenon In Pennsylvania That Will Go Down In History

Mark August 21, 2017 down on your calendar. That’s when Americans will slip on their protective glasses and turn their faces toward the sky to view the Great American Eclipse. Pennsylvania isn’t, unfortunately, in the direct path for a full solar eclipse. However, we will still get a partial view of this rare natural phenomenon in Pittsburgh.

Note: Northern Pennsylvania is predicted to be in the path of the full solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

A solar eclipse occurs, according to NASA, when the moon "moves between the sun and Earth…the moon blocks the light of the sun from reaching Earth. This causes an eclipse of the sun, or solar eclipse. During a solar eclipse, the moon casts a shadow onto Earth."

Only 10 states will be in the direct path of the full solar eclipse, including Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Pennsylvania will still enjoy a glimpse of a partial solar eclipse, also a rare natural phenomenon. The partial eclipse is predicted to begin between 1:10 p.m. and 1:20 p.m. and to end between 3:55 and 4:01 p.m.

Both state newspapers and universities predict a coverage of as much as 81 percent with the maximum portion of the sun being covered by the moon between 2:35 p.m. and 2:44 p.m.

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Never look directly into the sun even during an eclipse. Doing so can cause serious, permanent damage to your eyes. Many public libraries in the Pittsburgh-area and throughout Pennsylvania are giving away free glasses to view the solar eclipse.

Click below to view a NASA video discussing the path of the shadow that will fall across the United States during the Great American Eclipse.

Click below to learn how to safely view a solar eclipse.

Celebrate Pennsylvania’s viewing of the partial solar eclipse on August 21 with others Pennsylvanians at one of these six viewing parties in PA.