It's probably not news to you that the United States will experience a solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. In fact, many Americans will get to witness a total solar eclipse - a rare event. While the path of totality sweeps across the entire country, New Orleans is fairly far from that path, so only a partial eclipse will be visible. However, it's still certain to be breathtaking.

On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible across the United States. While not all states will be able to see a total eclipse, a partial one will be visible to most people.

You can see on the close-up of NASA's map, that New Orleans will is quite far from the path of totality. A partial eclipse of about 75% will be visible in the city. The solar eclipse will begin in New Orleans at 11:57 AM. By 1:29 PM it will be at midpoint (the darkest), and by 2:57 PM the eclipse will be completed and the sun will be visible as normal.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon covers all of the sun, leaving just the corona visible. This photo was taken in the middle of the day during an eclipse, but the skies are as black as night.

The 75% partial eclipse visible from New Orleans will look more like this. While it's not quite as spectacular as the total eclipse, it's still a magnificent event.

Staring directly at the sun during an eclipse causes serious eye damage. If you're planning on viewing this incredible event, you'll need some eclipse glasses. Homemade filters and sunglasses are not adequate.

Purchase solar eclipse glasses at nearby variety stores - most places carry these and they are inexpensive. For more information on viewing the eclipse safely, visit NASA’s website.

You won't want to miss this spectacular event, so mark your calendar!