TAMPA, Fla. — A total solar eclipse will take over the skies on Monday, April 8, across parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Even if space isn't your thing, this astronomical performance may be worth a watch. It'll be 21 years before Florida can spot another one.
So, pencil in a block of time on Monday starting at 1:43 p.m. to go outside and catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse. Mid-eclipse will happen around 3 p.m. when about 65% of the sun will be covered by the moon.
Now that it's on your calendar, it's time to prepare to watch the spectacle in the sky without burning your eyes.
Eclipse glasses
Our VERIFY team confirmed that the only safe way to look at the sun during a total solar eclipse is by using special glasses or filters.
And just a heads up, your regular sunglasses won't cut it.
You'll need eclipse glasses or special-purpose solar viewers. You can buy these at places like Lowe's, Walmart or Staples.
The easiest way to make sure your eclipse glasses are legit is to check that they come from this list of trusted manufacturers and suppliers from the American Astronomical Society. Experts say it's not a good idea to buy them from Amazon or other third-party sites as they may be counterfeit and damage your eyes.
You may have heard that you can look at the sun with the naked eye once it's completely covered by the moon. This is true if you're in the path of totality, which Florida isn't.
Solar filters for cameras
Believe it or not, it isn't safe to look at the eclipse through an unfiltered camera, telescope or binoculars. These need to be equipped with special solar filters. You can find those here.
DIY pinhole projectors
This method allows you to indirectly view the eclipse without buying special equipment.
You can make your own pinhole projector by using cardboard tubes and a sheet of white paper. Exploratorium has step-by-step instructions here.
You can even simplify the process by using an index card, colander or by lacing your fingers together. You can check out those instructions here.
10 Tampa Bay put together a list of Tampa Bay-area eclipse watch parties. Most of them will be handing out eclipse glasses for free.
TEGNA's Megan Divers contributed to this report.
