Partial solar eclipse might be visible in Metro Detroit

A partial solar eclipse is on the way this evening, but there’s a chance you might not get a good look at it.

Metro Detroit will see the start of the eclipse around 5:39 p.m. Thursday, and it is expected to reach its peak an hour later. But the National Weather Service is forecasting conditions that could make viewing the spectacle hit or miss.

“We are going to have some high clouds around that time,” meteorologist Sara Schultz said. “They’re currently part of a system that’s over western Lake Michigan now.”

The sun is expected to set at 6:38 p.m.

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the Earth and the sun. When that happens, parts of the sun are blocked darkening the skies.

According to NASA, it is never safe to look at the sun without protection. The agency provides tips on how to view the eclipse here.

JLynch@detroitnews.com

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