Meteorologist Travis Herzog says at peak eclipse in Houston, the sun will be 67 percent covered by the moon. That means it will still be just about as bright as any other day, but if the weather cooperates, you will see a black disk cover over half the sun. Travis says your two options to safely view this eclipse without damaging your eyes are to see it indirectly through a projection onto the ground or to view it through a device with an appropriate solar filter.
If you don't have plans yet, consider heading to one of these fun events!
Houston
Space Center Houston
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Space Center Houston will have a day full of activities. Lunar scientists will speak from 11 a.m. to noon, with another talk about studying the moon in the eclipse and upcoming lunar missions at 2 p.m. A limited number of solar viewing glasses will be provided to safely observe the total eclipse of the sun, and other viewing opportunities such as sunspotters will be available. Guests can also create their own eclipse projector. NASA's livestream of the eclipse will be displayed on screens inside the center.
Children's Museum of Houston
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
The museum is having a solar eclipse viewing party for little ones with lots of fun activities for kids. They will show a live stream beginning at noon in the auditorium. Be sure to pick up your postcard from their science station, which will allow you to safely watch the eclipse.
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Noon - 2 p.m.
5555 Hermann Park Dr.
The Planetarium will offer six special, 15-minute programs explaining the aspects of the eclipse and what it looks like from Houston. Tickets are $4. Then at 2 p.m., they will livestream totality from Casper, Wyoming in the Planetarium. Tickets for that are $9.
University of Houston
11:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
4800 Calhoun Road
Spectators can take a tour of the newly renovated observatory and see the eclipse through the big telescope. This is open to the campus community. Outside the observatory, there will be additional telescopes with solar filters, pinhole projection assemblies for viewing the sun and a safety goggle station with protective eyewear available for use.
Freeman Branch Library
Noon - 2 p.m.
16616 Diana Lane
Join scientists and educators from the Lunar and Planetary Institute to witness this eclipse. Solar viewing glasses will be available.
Levy Park
Noon - 2 p.m.
3801 Eastside Street
Join scientists and educators from the Lunar and Planetary Institute to witness this eclipse. Solar viewing glasses will be available.
Hotel Ylem
11:45 a.m. - 8 p.m.
8080 Main Street
The first 50 people get to pick up free viewing glasses. From 3-5 p.m., the hotel is showing "Star Wars" with popcorn! At 5 p.m., food trucks will arrive with live music, astrology readings, and more!
Sugar Land
Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
13016 University Blvd.
The first 150 people to enter the museum viewing area as the eclipse begins will receive complimentary solar eclipse glasses.
Crosby
Crosby Branch Library
Noon - 2 p.m.
135 Hare Road
The library will have a limited number of solar viewing glasses available. They will also have a live stream from NASA of the eclipse from the path of totality.
Clute
Brazosport Center for the Arts & Sciences
11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
400 College Blvd.
The BASF Planetarium will show the live eclipse feed from NASA on the planetarium's ceiling. The planetarium has viewing glasses available for $2 each, while supplies last.
If you can't make it to any of these events, the next total solar eclipse will be April 8, 2024.