Don't miss the partial solar eclipse today, the last one of 2022

A photograph of a partial solar eclipse seen above the clouds.
A photograph of a partial solar eclipse seen above the clouds. (Image credit: Phillip Jones/Getty Images)

On Tuesday (Oct.25), the moon will pass in front of the sun causing a partial solar eclipse, the last solar eclipse of 2022. This year's second and final solar eclipse will only be visible from some areas of Earth  —  mainly parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. This eclipse won't be visible in the United States. 

If you don't live in one of those areas, don't fret. Even though millions of observers across the Earth won't be able to see the partial solar eclipse in person, they can watch the solar event live on the internet across a variety of websites. Be sure to check out our guide on how to watch the partial solar eclipse online for links to a variety of livestreams. We will also stream the event live here on Space.com.

The mobile observatory team of the website Time and Date are livestreaming the partial eclipse and the coverage is available to watch on its YouTube channel starting at 4:30 a.m. EDT (0830 GMT).Time and Date also have a live blog featuring real-time reports and background information about the partial solar eclipse. 

Related: What time is the last solar eclipse of 2022 on Oct. 25?

The time the eclipse begins will depend on where on the globe observers are based. The eclipse will begin over the Atlantic Ocean at 08:58:20 Universal Time (GMT), which would be about 4:58 a.m. EDT. It will end at 9:01 a.m. EDT (1301 GMT).

The eclipse peak will occur at 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT), according to retired NASA astrophysicist and eclipse expert Fred Espenak.

Nowhere on Earth will be exposed to a total solar eclipse on Tuesday, Oct. 25. This is because during this eclipse the moon and the sun won't be perfectly aligned. Instead, the sun will appear as if it has had a monstrous bite taken out of it, a suitably haunting image for the week before Halloween.

A partial solar eclipse is seen from Arlington, Virginia on June 10, 2021. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The maximum amount the sun is covered by the moon as seen from Earth during an eclipse is called the point of central eclipse. This is where the center of the moon is most closely aligned with the center of the sun. 

The point of central eclipse will be at its maximum over the North Pole where the moon will cover 82% of the sun during this partial solar eclipse. This point isn't stable and drifts across Earth during an eclipse. 

As the point of central eclipse moves away from the North Pole, observers in Russia will see around 80% of the sun eclipsed by the moon. This level of solar coverage will drop to around 70% over China, 63% over Norway, and 62% over Finland. 

Like all solar eclipses, partial or total, Tuesday's solar eclipse will only be visible from certain parts of the globe. This is because the moon is much smaller than the Earth so its shadow can only cover an area of a few hundred miles. 

The second partial solar eclipse of the year is viewable from Europe, western Asia and northeast Africa. (Image credit: NASA)

If you want to view the partial solar eclipse (or any solar eclipse) in person, be sure to read our guide how to observe the sun safely. Never attempt to look at the sun without proper eye protection, as the sun's ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) rays can damage one's eyes even during a partial eclipse. Even if you don't have special eyewear designed for eclipse viewing, you could easily make a pinhole camera at home to view the eclipse live.

Editor's Note: If you get a good photo of the partial solar eclipse and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com. 

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Robert Lea
Senior Writer

Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.