How To Get The Best View Of The Solar Eclipse In Los Angeles

For one moment on Monday, Aug. 21, everyone across the United States will get to witness the first solar eclipse visible from everywhere in a very long time. This solar eclipse is one of those special kind of opportunities that you will be telling your great grandchildren about — and not the kind of event that you want to sleep through. Luckily, there are plenty of places to watch the solar eclipse in Los Angeles, so you, too, can witness this major event.

But you might want to set your alarm first, because this eclipse is happening early in the morning. According to Time and Date, the solar eclipse will begin in the Los Angeles area around 9:05 a.m. PT, with peak viewing time around 10:21 a.m. PT. Those who enjoy their morning coffee might be a little confused when the moon obscures the sun and the sky turns to black for a moment, only to see the sun emerge again. But, it will still be a cool sight to wake up to nonetheless.

While downtown Los Angeles will only see around 62 percent of the eclipse at its peak, according to Vox — and it might not be 100 percent — it is still enough to be excited about. The following list has plenty of suggestions to watch the eclipse in the Los Angeles area:

At The Griffith Observatory

The world famous observatory with breathtaking views of the city will be having a free and public viewing party of the eclipse from 9 a.m. until the afternoon. People will have the opportunity to view the eclipse from telescopes out on the front lawn and on the Observatory's historic solar telescope. However, this might not be your best option. Considering how busy Griffith Observatory is during regular hours, it can only get worse during the eclipse. On the Observatory's website, they warn about traffic congestion and large crowds for the eclipse event, so it's best to go prepared with the mindset that it won't be the most quiet place to view the eclipse.

At A Viewing Party

If you're not a fan of huge crowds or the Griffith Observatory, but still want to get out and celebrate, there are plenty of other options for you to view the eclipse in the Los Angeles area.

If you prefer a more educational experience for you and your child, the County of Los Angeles Public Library system will be holding viewing parties at libraries across the county. Or, if you're more of a museumgoer, the California Science Center in Los Angeles will have a viewing party beginning at 9 a.m. with free viewing tools for patrons to use and Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena will be having a viewing party at 9:30 a.m. And if schools are more your speed, the Glendale Community College Planetarium and California Institute of Technology will both be having parties of their own.

But if you'd much rather watch the solar eclipse in nature, the National Park Service has your back. According to Los Angeles Magazine, the National Park Service will be hosting three events in the Los Angeles area — one in downtown Los Angeles and two in the Santa Monica mountains area.

Your Own Backyard

If crowds are not your thing (especially in Los Angeles, where any event will drive out droves of people), and you would much rather watch it from the comfort of your front or backyard, you can. If you enter in your zip code on this website, it will tell you the exact time of day when the moon will cover the sun in your area so you won't have to do much traveling.

But if you are planning on watching the eclipse from your patio with your morning coffee, it is important that you remain safe while viewing the eclipse. According to NASA, it is unsafe to stare directly into the sun, so the only way to view the eclipse is with solar filters or eclipse glasses. A list of reputable distributors for those glasses can be found here.

On that Monday morning, you'll have plenty of options to choose where you can view the eclipse, but you should definitely get out of bed and witness this event for yourself from the comfort of your home.