Solar eclipse Saturday: UWM viewing party hopes for clear skies

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Planetarium will hold a solar eclipse viewing party Saturday, Oct. 14. 

The free viewing party will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jean Creighton, the planetarium's director, joined FOX6 News to discuss the event and the phenomenon. Unfortunately, it may be hard to see in Milwaukee.

"We're hoping that the weather is not going to be solid rain, so that people have the chance to use the solar glasses we're going to be providing because you can't look at the sun without protection," she said. "We have another eclipse coming up, and then it's going to be 20 years, so folks, let's hope for good weather."

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Saturday’s eclipse will be partially visible for hundreds of millions of residents from Canada through South America, with the U.S. being one of the premier destinations to see the sights. Due to its orbit, the Moon cannot completely block out the sun, leaving what appears to be a ring around the Moon.

Since the Moon will not completely block the sun, NASA says looking directly at the giant star is unsafe without specialized eye protection. Severe eye injury can even occur without specialized solar filters on camera lenses, telescopes and binoculars.

To find out when the eclipse will be partially visible in your community, visit NASA’s 2023 Eclipse Explorer map.

FOX Weather contributed to this report.