Are you ready for the 'Great American Eclipse?

On August 21, total solar eclipse will pass through 14 states, from Lincoln Beach, Oregon, to Charleston, SC
During this time, the sun will be completely blocked by the moon, leaving only the corona visible to naked eye
Partial solar eclipse will be visible elsewhere in North America, and in parts of South America, Africa, Europe

Less than 100 days from now, a total solar eclipse will pass from coast-to-coast through the continental United States for the first time in nearly a century

The August 21 event will be visible to millions of people as it crosses through 14 states, with the path of totality stretching from Lincoln Beach, Oregon, to Charleston, South Carolina.

During this time, the sun will be completely blocked by the moon, leaving only the ‘pearly white rays’ of its elusive corona visible to the naked eye – but, even in areas set to experience the longest duration of totality, the sun will only be fully covered for less than three minutes.

To be sure you don’t miss out on the rare event, scientists have revealed many ways to prepare ahead, from what time the eclipse will pass through your city, to when you should put on your safety glasses.

While entirety of the event will only be seen along the 70-mile-wide path of totality, even viewers outside the range will be able to see a partial solar eclipse.

The latter will be visible all across North America, and even in parts of South America, Africa, and Europe, according to NASA.

Totality will cross the US from west to east, beginning at Lincoln Beach, Oregon.

There, the total solar eclipse will begin at 10:16 a.m. (PDT).

The phenomenon will then cross through the US over the course of roughly an hour and a half, passing through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and South Carolina.

It will end near Charleston, South Carolina, at 2:48 p.m. (EDT), according to NASA.

While the totality itself will last just a few minutes, the eclipse – from start to finish – will span more than an hour as the moon moves in and out of the sun’s path, giving rise to a series of crescents along the way.

It’s not enough just to know where to see it, though.
Viewers must also be prepared with the proper gear to protect their eyes during the event.
Otherwise, NASA warns, you could ‘severely hurt your eyes.’

The space agency says viewers should be equipped with special specs such as Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical, and TSE 17.
These are just four that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard.

The glasses should be put on when the partial eclipse begins, meaning when the sun becomes partially covered by the moon.