Solar eclipse 2023: What time it is and how to watch

Sep 06, 2023

Here's the 411 on Saturday's annual solar eclipse

Updated October 13, 2023

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

What’s that in the sky? Is it a bird, is it a plane? Believe it or not, it’s something even better—a solar eclipse. On Saturday, October 14th, the Earth’s moon will pass over the sun, treating those in the west and southwest to a solar eclipse. The eclipse will be a partial eclipse as opposed to a total eclipse, meaning viewers will see the sun as a distinct ring of fire. It might not be as spectacular as a total eclipse, but we at Reviewed still consider partial eclipses pretty awesome. If you’re curious about the eclipse, you should pack your trunk with the best tools to safely view it. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming solar eclipse and everything you need to enjoy it.

Enter your email:

A solar eclipse is when the moon covers or “eclipses” the sun. There are varying degrees of coverage. The eclipse occurring this Saturday is a partial eclipse, as it covers a majority of the sun but not all of it. Partial eclipses are also called “annular” eclipses because they occur every year or “ring of fire” eclipses because of the distinct appearance of the sun’s outline. Total eclipses are rarer and happen, as the name implies, when the moon totally covers the sun.

The 2023 annular eclipse will take place on Saturday, October 14.

It will begin in Oregon around 9:13 a.m. PDT and end in Texas around 12:03 p.m. CDT.

The annular solar eclipse will be visible from southern Oregon through northern Nevada, southern Utah, central New Mexico, and central Texas.

After Saturday, the next solar eclipse will be on April 8, 2024. It will be a particularly stunning one because portions of the country will be treated to a total eclipse. After this date, the next total solar eclipse won’t pass over the country until 2044. The next annular solar eclipse will occur again in October 2024.

You should never look directly at an annular solar eclipse without eye protection. As it’s only partially covered, some of the sun is still visible during an eclipse and, as such, looking at it can damage your eye, up to and including making you go blind. Sunglasses technically aren’t dark enough to completely mitigate the dangers of the sun’s brightness, so to be on the safe side, you should wear specialized solar eclipse lenses.

You could stand for the duration of the eclipse, but why would you want to when you can sit back and relax in a comfy camping chair? One of the best camping chairs you can buy is the Helinox Chair Zero, as it’s weather- and UV-resistant, lightweight, and easily packable.

The Helinox Chair Zero is lightweight and easily packable for trips.

Depending on where you’re viewing the solar eclipse, the weather might be a bit chilly. To stay warm while catching the eclipse, we recommend wearing a quality coat from Orolay. This brand has warm coats in a variety of colors and styles.

Shop Orolay

It takes some time for the moon and sun to shift in the sky. You’ll likely find yourself thirsty while you wait, so it’s good to pack a water bottle for viewing if you plan to stay for the duration. If you’re shopping for a new one, you can do no better than Owala’s FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle. This water bottle is great because of its leakproof lid and insulation that keeps water cold for up to 24 hours.

Our favorite water bottle keeps water cold for up to 24 hours.

If you’d prefer to drink coffee or tea during the eclipse, try using a travel mug instead, specifically our favorite, the Zojirushi SM-KHE48. We love this mug because it’s easy to carry and retains temperature well for hours.

Keep your favorite drink warm using the Zojirushi travel mug.

Given how long the eclipse will last, your phone’s battery might be struggling by the end. We recommend bringing along a portable charger like the best one we’ve tested, the Mophie Powerstation PD, which is compact and charges devices quickly.

The Mophie Powerstation will charge your phone quickly.

You should never look directly at a solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Even sunglasses technically aren’t dark enough to look directly at the sun. The best practice for safely viewing a solar eclipse is to use specialized lenses made by an American Astronomical Society-approved manufacturer. These glasses sold by American Paper Optics are inexpensive and perfectly safe to use to watch the eclipse.

Use proper glasses to safely look at the sun during an eclipse.

Just as our eyes aren’t designed to stare directly at the sun, neither are phone camera lenses. Not only do pictures of eclipses tend to come out poorly, but there’s a chance that pointing the camera at the sun could damage it. To protect your camera and snap great photos of this mesmerizing event, we recommend using a special solar eclipse phone lens. This pack from B&H Photo comes with two lens filters, two eclipse glasses, and an eclipse photo app for your phone.

Use a lens over your phone camera to snap photos or take videos of the eclipse.

Even if you have steady hands, you’ll want a tripod to place your phone on for the perfect shot of the eclipse. One of the best tripods you can buy is the Bluehorn Selfie Stick iPhone Tripod. This is a great pick because it’s affordable, compact, and can rotate 270 degrees.

This affordable, compact tripod also doubles as a selfie stick.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.