Millions of skywatchers in North America are gearing up for a total solar eclipse on April 8.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth to completely block the face of the sun, the folks at NASA explain. The sky then darkens as if it were dawn or dusk.
Live updates: Following along our total solar eclipse live blog
Because Monday's eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States and a small part of eastern Canada, millions of people will get a front-row seat to the celestial action — and if they’re smart, they’ll be wearing protective solar glasses.
According to NASA, lucky residents in 15 states — Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine plus small parts of Tennessee and Michigan — will experience the thrill of afternoon skies darkening while the moon and sun's positions create a halo effect.
Folks in other states will experience a partial solar eclipse, when the moon will obscure only part of the sun.
The event will start a little after 12 p.m. CT in areas of Texas and after 2 p.m. ET in Pennsylvania, New York and parts of New England.
The rest of us can watch Monday's eclipse on TV and online. Read on for a few suggestions on how to tune into the action from wherever you may be.
How can I watch the 2024 solar eclipse on TV?
The April 8 solar eclipse will be broadcast live on both network TV and cable channels.
NBC will air a two-hour special, "Total Eclipse 2024," at 2 p.m. ET. NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt will host the special.
TODAY's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer and Jenna Bush Hager will join the coverage live from the Museum of Natural History in New York City.
NASA will host live coverage of the eclipse starting at 1 p.m. ET that will air on NASA TV, which can be streamed through a variety of platforms.
Where can I stream the solar eclipse?
NBC's two-hour special, “Total Eclipse 2024, will stream on TODAY All Day and NBC News Now.
NASA's live coverage of the event will also air on the agency's streaming service NASA+.
How can I watch the solar eclipse online?
For those looking for eclipse coverage online, options include the following:
NASA's live coverage can be found on the agency's website, its YouTube channel, and on the NASA App for iOS and the NASA App for Android.
PBS' primetime science program "NOVA" will host a livestream of the eclipse and hold interviews with NASA scientists on the official "NOVA" YouTube channel.
You can join the U.S. National Science Foundation to watch and learn about the eclipse at 1:55 p.m. ET at YouTube.com/@NSFScience.
The skywatching website timeanddate.com will cover the total solar eclipse with their livestream and live blog featuring real-time progress reports and background information.
The McDonald Observatory, an astronomical research facility located within the University of Texas, will also livestream the total solar eclipse from its YouTube livestream.