A solar eclipse will slash across North America on April 8, a rare event that won’t happen again for another two decades.

Although Long Beach isn’t in the path of a total eclipse — an eerie astronomical occurrence that brings a dusky darkness during daylight hours — residents here will be able to see the moon blacken almost two-thirds of the sun.

To see the full eclipse, known as “totality,” you’d have to travel to Texas, Arkansas, Ohio, New York or a handful of other states in the path.

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Every state in the U.S., however, will catch at least a partial view of the eclipse, with the least visibility in the Northwest. In Long Beach, you’ll be able to see 59% of the sun blacked out.

The good news: It’s expected to be sunny and clear on Monday, April 8. The eclipse takes place between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., when the moon will line up with the sun.

The peak of the eclipse at 11:12 a.m. will last a relatively lengthy 4 minutes, 28 seconds, roughly twice as long as the last total solar eclipse visible in North America in 2017.

A screenshot of a graphic from the Griffith Observatory showing the progression of the solar eclipse in Los Angeles on April 8, 2024.

It is indeed a rare event to be directly in the path of a total eclipse. The last time this happened in California was in 1923; the next one won’t happen until 2045.

The state was, however, treated to an “annular” eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, when the moon passes between the Earth and sun but doesn’t completely cover the sun’s disk.

Griffith Observatory is not hosting a formal public gathering for the April 8 event but will be hosting a live online broadcast of the total eclipse from Belton, Texas, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And, please, wherever you are: Take caution and don’t look directly at the sun. It can destroy cells in your retina and inflict lasting damage.

NASA recommends special eclipse glasses (not regular sunglasses) or a handheld solar viewer. A viewing safety sheet can be found here.

Residents in Long Beach can snag free eclipse glasses (while supplies last; limit one per patron) at local libraries.