A guide to watching the solar eclipse in the D.C. area

The “wow” factor won’t be as great in the D.C. area., where a partial eclipse will cover 87 percent of the sun. But for Washingtonians without the time, means or motivation to travel to the path of totality, a partial eclipse still presents a relatively rare sky-watching, photo and educational opportunity, as long as skies aren’t too cloudy.

Here’s a brief preview to get you ready for what you’ll be able to see from the D.C. metropolitan area.

When does the eclipse begin, peak and end in the D.C. area?

On April 8, the moon’s shadow will start to cover the edge of the sun at 2:04 p.m. The eclipse will peak at 87 percent coverage of the sun at 3:20 p.m. Then the amount of sun covered will start to diminish until the eclipse ends just before 4:33 p.m.

You can view the eclipse timing and a visualization for any location in the United States in this visual story: See what the solar eclipse will look like in your city

The websites ShadowandSubstance.com and TimeandDate.com also have helpful visualizations.

Will it turn dark?

Only slightly. A partial eclipse doesn’t darken skies anywhere near as much as a total eclipse. Even when the sun is 99 percent covered, it’s only about as dark as an overcast day.

Still, skies will dim somewhat around the peak of the eclipse, similar to what was seen in 2017. You would have to be in the path of totality for it to turn almost as dark as night.

Will the temperature change?

You may notice a slight drop in temperature as the eclipse approaches its peak.

How will the sun appear in Washington as the eclipse is underway?

The sun will appear like a cookie with an expanding piece bitten out of it until the eclipse’s peak. Then the sun (or cookie) will return to form.

Do not stare at the sun with your naked eyes during the eclipse. It will damage them. Wear approved solar eclipse glasses. During a partial eclipse, there is no time that you can safely stare at the sun without your eclipse glasses on.

Will there be clouds?

It’s not a perfectly sunny forecast, as we will probably see mid-level clouds moving in from the west during the afternoon. That said, there may be breaks in those clouds, and it’s uncertain how quickly the clouds will build and expand. Generally speaking, conditions should be least cloudy during the earlier part of the eclipse and most cloudy during the later part. If it does become mostly cloudy, you won’t see much, but you could still watch a live stream of the total solar eclipse from NASA.

Will there be eclipse viewing in the D.C. area?

Multiple viewing events will be held around the Washington region. There will be an outdoor festival on the National Mall, between Fourth and 12th streets, from noon to 4 p.m. The event is presented by the National Air and Space Museum, other Smithsonian museums, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. It’s recommended that visitors bring their own eclipse glasses. More information is available on the event website.

Other eclipse-viewing events include those hosted by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, the City of Gaithersburg, College Park Aviation Museum and Fairfax County.

Is this safe to watch with my kids?

Absolutely, and we encourage it, as long as everyone is equipped with approved eclipse viewing glasses. It will be a fantastic science lesson in real time. If you don’t have glasses, there are several low-tech ways to see the eclipse, including making a cereal box projector.

When will the D.C. area see a total solar eclipse?

It won’t be until April 14, 2200, until a total solar eclipse passes through the District but one will comes as close as southeast Virginia on May 11, 2078, northeast Maryland on May 1, 2079 and Central Virginia on Sept. 14, 2099.

Jason Samenow contributed to this report.