How to prepare for the April 2024 solar eclipse

Don't wait to track down the proper eyewear for viewing the partial eclipse of the Sun that will be visible here on April 8.

Why it matters: Viewing even a partial eclipse without eclipse glasses or viewers that meet international standard ISO 12312-2 could damage your vision .

• But proper eyewear could be hard to find by mid-March, Richard Tresch Fienberg, a senior adviser at the American Astronomical Society, told Axios.
• A list of reputable manufacturers and authorized vendors can be found here .

What they're saying: "Sunglasses, smoked glass, unfiltered telescopes or magnifiers and polarizing filters can transmit far more sunlight than is safe for our eyes and should not be used as substitutes," said American Optometric Association president Ronald L. Benner.

The big picture: The total eclipse will be visible in Mexico and 13 states, per NASA .

• A partial eclipse will be visible in the rest of the contiguous U.S., including Washington.

Zoom in: In Seattle, the partial eclipse , in which the Moon covers about 20% of the bottom of the Sun, will begin at 10:39am and reach maximum coverage at 11:29am.

• You can get an idea of what to expect by viewing this eclipse simulator .

Yes, but: People with the time, money and inclination to travel can still find flights from Seattle to places within the path of totality, such as Mazatlan, Mexico; Dallas; Evansville, Indiana; and Buffalo, New York.

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