This Monday, people across North America will have the opportunity to witness the first total solar eclipse in seven years.

The eclipse is slated to pass over Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. In the U.S., the total eclipse will begin in Texas and will be visible later in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine as it travels across the country. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse.

In Minnesota, around 75 percent of the eclipse can be viewed, though Southeastern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, will see a 79 to 80 percent partial eclipse. According to the Bell Museum, the eclipse in Minnesota will peak around 2 p.m.

Astronomy and Planetary Science teacher Joseph Martin is looking forward to the once-in-a-lifetime event. “I think, especially in the city, we lose a little bit with the light pollution because we can’t see the sky very well. You don’t see a lot of stars, and I think you lose some of […] the natural wonder you get with a good night’s sky. So eclipses are one of those weird things that we can all see, and when it happens, it reminds us that we’re a part of something much bigger than just what we’ve got going on in our neighborhood.”

The next total solar eclipse to occur in the U.S. won’t be until August 2044 and will only appear in the contiguous United States in Montana and North Dakota, according to NASA.

Though partial eclipses are neat, Martin hopes students will experience a total eclipse someday. “A total eclipse…is a completely different event that is another level of coolness. So if they [the students] have that chance, they should absolutely take the chance to see a total eclipse if they ever can. The next one in Minnesota will be the year 2099. So they would have to travel because there will be other ones and other places in the world if they want to go to those, but here, you know, I’d say eat healthy and live long, and then you can see that one.”

Museums, parks, and schools across the state will host watch parties, including The Bell Museum, which is livestreaming the eclipse, the Science Museum of Minnesota, Winona State University and Bethel University. Sibley State Park, Wild River State Park and Minneopa State Park will have crafts and experts available to answer questions.

Martin, however, is hosting SPA’s own watch party.

“This one [the eclipse] is during the school day, so for sure, we’ll be ready to go. The weather is currently predicted to be clouds and rain. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed that that will take a left turn and we’ll get some clear skies. We’ll be ready to go with moon pies and Sun Chips and telescopes and all sorts of other cool things to look at the eclipse with. If the skies are cloudy, we’ll just enjoy the snacks.”

He also reminds students not to look directly at the eclipse during the watch party or elsewhere unless they wear officially sanctioned eclipse glasses, which filter out 99.9% of the light.

An assembly to “learn more about the science of solar eclipses and underscore the importance of safe viewing practices” will occur on Monday morning. The watch party will take place during X-period on April 8.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Aarushi Bahadur

ANYTHING OUT THERE? Senior Connor Overgaard looks up at the sunless skies in mock exuberance.

April 8 proved to be an unfortunate day for Minnesotans hoping to catch a partial glimpse of the eclipse. Grey skies and heavy cloud cover obscured the sun, and though some students still went outside with solar glasses, only a slight darkening of the sky was visible. That didn’t stop the fun, though: NASA livestreams played on televisions across the school, snacks were consumed and students enjoyed the solar glasses inside.

Gallery • 1 Photos

Aarushi Bahadur

SOLAR SAFETY. Here's a few rules to view the eclipse safely.