How to Watch Total Solar Eclipse on April 8 With NASA?

How to Watch Total Solar Eclipse on April 8 With NASA?
(Photo: Pexels/Drew Rae)

Many are excited about the upcoming total solar eclipse, which will happen in a matter of days. Millions of people will witness this rare phenomenon along the path of totality, and those who are not on the way or want to stay inside their homes can watch it with NASA.

NASA To Host Live Coverage During Total Solar Eclipse

NASA will air live coverage of the eclipse on Monday (April 8) starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT. The coverage will feature live views of the eclipse from throughout North America, special appearances by NASA specialists and astronauts on board the space station, an inside look at NASA's eclipse science projects, and watch parties across the nation.

The three-hour broadcast from NASA will include live sites from across the country, including NASA's Glenn Research, the only center in the path of totality for the agency, and the following places:

Carbondale, Illinois
Dallas
Houlton, Maine
Indianapolis
Kerrville, Texas
Niagara Falls, New York
Russellville, Arkansas

The NASA broadcast will stream on the agency's website, NASA TV, and NASA+. You can watch NASA TV on several platforms, including the agency app and social media.

Additionally, NASA will hold a Spanish-language eclipse watch party beginning at 1:30 pm on its YouTube channel.

At 1:00 pm, NASA will stream the eclipse only through telescopes on NASA Television's media channel and YouTube, with no commentary. Views from several locations will be included in the telescopic stream, which will rotate depending on the weather, the eclipse's status, and the feed's availability. Locations may consist of Carbondale, Illinois; Cleveland; Dallas; Houlton, Maine; Indianapolis; Junction, Texas; Kerrville, Texas; Mazatlán, Mexico; Niagara Falls, New York; Russellville, Arkansas; Torreón, Mexico; Tupper Lake, New York.

Three sounding rocket launches will be streamed live with commentary from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for the Atmospheric Perturbations surrounding the Eclipse Path program. At 2:30 pm, the livestream will start on NASA Wallops' YouTube account and conclude after the final three audible rocket launches.

ALSO READ: Rings of Saturn Formed by Collision of 2 Ancient Icy Moons Based on Data From NASA's Cassini Mission [Study]

On April 8, users can follow the complete solar eclipse as it sweeps over North America in real-time using NASA's interactive Eclipse Explorer Map. This tool can also be used in advance to get real-time weather updates, the percentage of the eclipse covered, eclipse timing by zip code or city, and even a corona prediction for sites in the path of totality.

How To Know If You Have Legit Solar Glasses?

The upcoming total solar eclipse is deemed to be the best in centuries. So, those who can witness it in person should take the opportunity.

However, it would be best to have authentic solar glasses to witness the eclipse without harming your eyes. To know if you have legit eclipse glasses, you can do the following test:

Indoor Test: Wear the glasses indoors before the event; you shouldn't see anything. The glasses should be very dark, limiting your vision. If you see the frames on the wall and the furniture at home, it's not dark enough for solar viewing.

Outdoor Test: If the glasses pass the indoor test, go out and do the second test. Wear it outside and look around you; the sun's reflection should only be visible and appear feeble.

If the glasses don't pass any tests, they are not authentic and safe for the upcoming solar eclipse.