It's been a while since we in the United States have seen a
solar eclipse in our skies, but one is about to occur later this
week. A solar eclipse happens when the moon slips in front of
the sun and blocks some of its light from view. On Friday
afternoon, sky watchers throughout most of the southern United
States will be treated to a partial eclipse of the sun. Viewers
in the southeastern United States will see the biggest "bite"
taken out of the sun's disk – as much as 47 percent – and those
in the Southwest, including San Diego, will see the least – as
little as 1 percent. Approximate viewing time is 2:55 p.m.
Safety when viewing a solar eclipse is most important. Even when
partially eclipsed, the sun appears 400,000 times brighter than
the full moon. Never view the sun with the naked eye,
sunglasses, double thickness of darkened film, smoked glass or
other homemade filters. Looking at the sun without a proper
solar filter – even for an instant – can cause permanent eye
damage or blindness. One safe way to