How to Watch the 2017 Solar Eclipse Online

Live-stream the once in a generation event via TIME or NASA's live-streams

By Zach Johnson Aug 21, 2017 12:55 PMTags

It's the must-see event of the year.

Today, the continental U.S. will witness a total solar eclipse—the first since 1979. For those unable to see it in person, no fear: TIME's editor at large Jeffrey Kluger is hosting a live-stream with spaceflight historian Amy Shira Teitel starting at 12 p.m. ET. NASA is also sharing images captured before, during and after the eclipse, via 11 spacecraft, at least three NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Over the course of 100 minutes, 14 states across will experience more than two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day; a partial eclipse will be viewable across all of North America.

NASA is hosting a special pre-show, which will begin at 12 p.m. ET. People can view a raw feed on NASA's website, or they watch the eclipse—with expert commentary—on various social media platforms, including Facebook Live, Twitter/Periscope, Twitch TV, Ustream and YouTube.

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Solar Eclipse Jewelry Based on Your Zodiac Sign
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For those who do plan to watch the solar eclipse IRL, a word of caution: According to NASA, it is unsafe to stare directly at the sun, except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse ("totality"), when the moon entirely blocks the sun's face. The only safe way to look directly at the un-eclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special solar filters or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or sunglasses transmit thousands of times too much sunlight.

(Here is a reputable vendors list of solar filters and solar viewers.)

Can't find solar filter or a solar viewer? Make a pinhole projector using a cereal box:

The eclipse's longest duration will be near Carbondale, Ill., lasting two minutes and 40 seconds.

Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are in the "path of totality." It all starts in Oregon at 9:05 a.m. PT, reaching totality at 10:17 a.m. PT. The last viewing will be in Charleston at 4:10 p.m. ET.