About 90% totality
On April 8 a solar eclipse will be on view. In our area, the Moon is estimated to begin its trek across the Sun at 2:10 p.m. and estimated to finish this cross by 4:38 p.m. If you miss this eclipse, it will be a twenty-year wait (August 2044) for the next total solar eclipse to be visible from the contiguous U.S. The most recent total solar eclipse in sight of NYC was on August 21, 2017.
Brooklyn’s view of the eclipse won’t see the Moon totally cover the Sun. The Moon should reach peak coverage at around 3:24 p.m., but a crescent sliver of the Sun will remain at the northwest edge.
To help prepare the community for this rare event, The Greenpoint Library held several eclipse oriented programs in March including: Eclipse Science with Astronomy on Tap, an Eclipse Information Session for Adults, a Moongazing Night and an eclipse viewer workshop Kids Explore Eclipses that included giveaways of eclipse glasses.
“As we’re getting closer to the date we will be adding more calendar slots to give away eclipse glasses (while supplies last!). Please check our online calendar of events for exact dates and times,” said Elena Rivera, children’s librarian at Greenpoint Library.
On eclipse day (April 8), Greenpoint Library plans to stream NASA’s live feed of the event. People may start to gather at the front of the library around 3:00 p.m. to view the event as a community. The library’s rooftop garden will not be open.
NASA cautions, “Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”
The safest way to see an eclipse is to look on the ground. Leaves will project the eclipse in shadow, in multitudes.
The Greenline 