Solar eclipse 2024: Best places to watch in Philadelphia on Monday

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LA SERENA , CHILE, JULY 02: Solar Eclipse is seen on the city La Serana, 500 km north to Santiago of Chile, Chile on July 02, 2019. Thousand of people travel to watch the astronomical phenomenum (Photo by Sebastian Brogca/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

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PHILADELPHIA - The countdown is on for the solar eclipse! In just 5 days, the rare spectacle will travel across the sky, and everyone wants to know where they can get the best view.

Parts of Pennsylvania are part of the lucky few who will get to experience 100 percent totality of the once-in-a-lifetime event Monday afternoon.

While Philadelphia may not be in that path, city gazers can still get a 90 percent glimpse when the eclipse hits its peak at 3:23 p.m.

So, if you don't want to be one of thousands flocking to the north, here's all the places you can watch without straying far from home.

Solar eclipse viewing parties in the Philadelphia area

The Franklin Institute
Torresdale Library
The Morris Arboretum and Gardens
The Kimpton Palomar Philadelphia is offering a solar eclipse package
Glen Foerd
The Independence Visitor Center
Temple University beach party
American Philosophical Society
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Wagner Free Institute of Science

While most of these events are free to attend, some do require a donation or fee. Check the event site for details.

Philadelphia-area parks with a view

Fairmount Park: Prime viewing at the city's highest point - The Mann Center
Cira Green: Head up to the rooftop bar for great views of the city and the eclipse
Gilbertsville: Visit Philadelphia says this Montgomery County town boasts the closest to the path of totality in the region

When is the solar eclipse?

The next total solar eclipse is on Monday, April 8, 2024. The 115-mile-wide path of totality – the region in which the moon will appear to completely block the sun – will stretch from south Texas up through southern Illinois, then over to Niagara Falls and northern Maine. However, millions of people outside that corridor will still see a partial eclipse.

In Philadelphia, the moon will start its journey across the sun at 2:08 p.m. It will hit its peak around 3:23 p.m. Then, it will come to an end nearly two-and-a-half hours, around 4:35 p.m.

How high will the eclipse be?

At that time of day, the sun will be pretty high in the sky. As always, though, the further north you are, the lower in the sky the sun will appear.

For example, in Austin, the sun will be at 67 degrees up from the horizon at the peak of totality. Remember, 90 degrees is straight up, so 67 degrees is just over two-thirds up into the sky from the horizon.

In Cleveland, meanwhile, the sun will be slightly lower, at only 49 degrees – just over halfway up in the sky.

Are there any buildings in the way?

Buildings don't tend to move, so again, you can probably get a sense of that by knowing your surroundings ahead of time and using the information above. But if not, another app could help you.

ShadeMap is a web-based tool that uses a map interface combined with building height data to simulate shadows cast by buildings. You can use the slider to zoom through the day and see how shadows on the ground move as the sun crosses the sky.

The basic tool is free. An upgraded version also includes tree data.

Where do I look for the solar eclipse?

The easiest way to know may be to step outside in the days leading up to the eclipse and see where the sun is during the afternoon.

Early afternoon on April 8, the sun will be pretty high in the sky. As always, though, the further north you are, the lower in the sky the sun will appear.

In Cleveland, meanwhile, the sun will be slightly lower, at only 49 degrees – just over halfway up in the sky.

What will I see during the eclipse?

If you are in the path of totality: The moon will appear to completely block the sun for as long as seven and a half minutes. Daytime will turn into near night during that time and the sun’s corona – the outer rays – may be visible.

If you are not far from the path of totality: The moon will appear to block most of the sun. It will still become noticeably darker; daylight will become more like twilight.

If you are well outside the path of totality: You’ll notice a chunk of the sun is being blocked. The farther away you are, the smaller the moon’s bite will appear to be. In Seattle and Portland, Oregon, about as far away as you can get in the continental U.S., one-third of the sun will be swallowed.