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A solar eclipse viewed from Indonesia in 2016.
Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Solar eclipse 2017: Where to watch in the Seattle area

Viewing events and parties in and around Seattle

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A solar eclipse viewed from Indonesia in 2016.
| Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Editor’s note: This article was originally published August 7. It has been updated with additional information.

Many Seattleites are running down to Oregon on Monday, August 21 to catch the last total eclipse—when the moon completely obscures the sun—to grace the Northwest until 2044. Here at home, though, we’re experiencing about 92 percent of an eclipse, which will still be stunning to watch. The eclipse will peak at about 10:20 a.m.

There should be plenty of places to watch the partial eclipse—wherever you can see the sun at 10 a.m.—this map focuses on places holding eclipse-specific programming.

If you’re looking for a less curated experience, weather permitting, here’s what to look for in a viewing point: a view of the sun in the sky to the southeast. Think parks along the eastern edge of Lake Washington versus parks along the eastern edge of Puget Sound.

Another option: Ditch going outside altogether and watch one of many livestreams, including a few from NASA and another from CNN, plus many other places (including several Seattle Public Libraries, if you don’t want to stream alone).

Regardless of whether you watch on your own or with a group, make sure you’re watching the eclipse safely, either with ISO-certified eclipse glasses or another safe viewing method.

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Map points are ordered north to south.

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Central Skagit Library

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Central Skagit Library is making an all-day event out of it, even though the library doesn’t open to the public until right before the eclipse at 10:00 a.m. They’ll have a filtered telescope outside and a live stream of the eclipse inside the library, plus hot dogs for lunch. That far north, the eclipse should be about 88.4 percent.

John Storvik Playground

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Anacortes Public Library and Parks and Recreation’s shindig starts at 9 a.m., and they’ll have some eclipse glasses at the ready.

A post shared by Elias (@churchofthiccthighs) on

San Juan Island National Historical Park

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The San Juan Islands are only getting an 88.5 percent eclipse, but those that are out there and want to watch with a group (weather permitting) can head to San Juan Island National Historical Park starting at 8:30 a.m. They’ll have eclipse glasses and telescopes with solar filters, and they’ll be making solar prints.

Jefferson County Library

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Jefferson County’s library in Port Hadlock’s party starts at 9 a.m., and they’ll have glasses on a first-come, first-served basis.

Shoreline Library

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King County Library System is hosting a viewing event in Shoreline just outside the Shoreline Library starting at 9:45 a.m.. They’ll have a limited number of eclipse glasses and information guides to give away.

A post shared by Jess Tholmer (@tholmz) on

Northgate Library

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The Northgate Library’s viewing party will include some astronomy education and hands-on activities before viewing the eclipse with safety glasses.

A post shared by Eric (@librerican) on

Greenwood Park

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Phinney Neighborhood Association is having their party at Greenwood Park starting at 9 a.m. They recommend bringing your own eclipse-viewing glasses or other viewing device, but they’ll have pinhole boxes available, too.

A post shared by @mcbealer on

Redmond Library

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King County Library System’s Redmond party starts at 9:45 a.m. in the green patch between Redmond Library and City Hall. They’ll have a limited number of viewing glasses to give away.

Bryant Neighborhood Playground

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The Seattle Public Library is putting on this shindig at Bryant Neighborhood Playground, which will combine astronomy education with a group eclipse viewing.

A post shared by Clint McKay (@clintmckay) on

Bellevue Library

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Weather permitting, Bellevue Library is hosting their party atop their parking garage. The event starts at 9:30, and they’ll have some glasses on-hand.

Pacific Science Center

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The Pacific Science Center is opening early for the big day—at 8:30 a.m.—so guests can get settled before the eclipse starts at 9:08 a.m. Attendees, weather permitting, will be able to view the eclipse through safe glasses. Weather not permitting, it’ll be livestreamed from somewhere with clearer weather.

Regardless of the weather, there will be hands-on activities and a livestream from the path of totality.

Hotel Sorrento

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From 8:30 to 11:00 a.m., First Hill’s posh venue slash cool neighborhood haunt Hotel Sorrento will be serving complimentary coffee, tea, juice, and croissants in the garden. This event is BYO eclipse glasses.

Seattle Central Library

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Unlike the other library events on this list, the Seattle Central Library’s eclipse viewing party doesn’t focus on viewing the eclipse live and outdoors—rather, it shows NASA’s livestream (“megacast”) of eclipse images along the path in the Microsoft Auditorium. That party starts at 10 a.m.

A post shared by Bouwen (@bouwenco) on

Smith Tower

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Seattle’s “original skyscraper” is having a party in their observatory bar with specialty eclipse mimosas and a view from their observation deck. Tickets for this one will go on sale starting at 8:30 a.m.

A post shared by Smith Tower (@thesmithtower) on

High Point Public Library

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High Point Public Library’s event, which is geared toward children and families, starts at 8:30 a.m., including a workshop on making your own eclipse viewer. They’ll also have a limited number of eclipse-viewing glasses on-hand. This is an outdoor-only viewing, and in the event of bad weather, the party’s off.

A post shared by Amanda (@pooreamanda) on

South Park Community Center

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Starting at 8:30 a.m., the South Park Community Center viewing party will kick off with learning how to make a simple viewer and how to view the eclipse safely. Like with many similar events, the party’s off if the weather’s bad.

It’s put on by the Seattle Public Library, and like many of the others by SPL, it’s curated for children and families.

The Museum of Flight

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Museum of Flight is co-presenting their event with NASA—and NASA officials will even be on-hand to answer questions. Depending on the weather, visitors will be able to view the eclipse live. Regardless, the museum will be streaming NASA’s megacast of the event, and visitors will be able to greet a NASA science aircraft when it returns from gathering information in the path of totality in Oregon. The first 1,000 visitors get free eclipse glasses.

Des Moines Library

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Weather permitting, King County Library System is hosting a viewing event in the green area on the east side of the Des Moines Library starting at 9:45 a.m. They’ll have a limited amount of viewing glasses to give away.

A post shared by Katie (@katiesunbliss) on

Pierce College Science Dome

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Pierce College’s Science Dome—”The South Sound’s only planetarium!”—will provide safe ways to view the the 94 percent eclipse outside, and live-stream the total eclipse inside the dome, no matter the weather. The pre-eclipse presentation starts in the dome at 8:30 a.m.

Great American Casino Lakewood

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The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce’s party is at Great American Casino—appropriate for what some are calling the Great American Eclipse—on the outdoor veranda starting at 9:00 a.m. This one costs $10.

Washington State Library

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Starting at 8:30 a.m., the Washington State Library in Tumwater will have 90 pairs of eclipse glasses available—plus a speaker from the Tacoma Astronomical Society.

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Central Skagit Library

Central Skagit Library is making an all-day event out of it, even though the library doesn’t open to the public until right before the eclipse at 10:00 a.m. They’ll have a filtered telescope outside and a live stream of the eclipse inside the library, plus hot dogs for lunch. That far north, the eclipse should be about 88.4 percent.

John Storvik Playground

Anacortes Public Library and Parks and Recreation’s shindig starts at 9 a.m., and they’ll have some eclipse glasses at the ready.

A post shared by Elias (@churchofthiccthighs) on

San Juan Island National Historical Park

The San Juan Islands are only getting an 88.5 percent eclipse, but those that are out there and want to watch with a group (weather permitting) can head to San Juan Island National Historical Park starting at 8:30 a.m. They’ll have eclipse glasses and telescopes with solar filters, and they’ll be making solar prints.

Jefferson County Library

Jefferson County’s library in Port Hadlock’s party starts at 9 a.m., and they’ll have glasses on a first-come, first-served basis.

Shoreline Library

King County Library System is hosting a viewing event in Shoreline just outside the Shoreline Library starting at 9:45 a.m.. They’ll have a limited number of eclipse glasses and information guides to give away.

A post shared by Jess Tholmer (@tholmz) on

Northgate Library

The Northgate Library’s viewing party will include some astronomy education and hands-on activities before viewing the eclipse with safety glasses.

A post shared by Eric (@librerican) on

Greenwood Park

Phinney Neighborhood Association is having their party at Greenwood Park starting at 9 a.m. They recommend bringing your own eclipse-viewing glasses or other viewing device, but they’ll have pinhole boxes available, too.

A post shared by @mcbealer on

Redmond Library

King County Library System’s Redmond party starts at 9:45 a.m. in the green patch between Redmond Library and City Hall. They’ll have a limited number of viewing glasses to give away.

Bryant Neighborhood Playground

The Seattle Public Library is putting on this shindig at Bryant Neighborhood Playground, which will combine astronomy education with a group eclipse viewing.

A post shared by Clint McKay (@clintmckay) on

Bellevue Library

Weather permitting, Bellevue Library is hosting their party atop their parking garage. The event starts at 9:30, and they’ll have some glasses on-hand.

Pacific Science Center

The Pacific Science Center is opening early for the big day—at 8:30 a.m.—so guests can get settled before the eclipse starts at 9:08 a.m. Attendees, weather permitting, will be able to view the eclipse through safe glasses. Weather not permitting, it’ll be livestreamed from somewhere with clearer weather.

Regardless of the weather, there will be hands-on activities and a livestream from the path of totality.

Hotel Sorrento

From 8:30 to 11:00 a.m., First Hill’s posh venue slash cool neighborhood haunt Hotel Sorrento will be serving complimentary coffee, tea, juice, and croissants in the garden. This event is BYO eclipse glasses.

Seattle Central Library

Unlike the other library events on this list, the Seattle Central Library’s eclipse viewing party doesn’t focus on viewing the eclipse live and outdoors—rather, it shows NASA’s livestream (“megacast”) of eclipse images along the path in the Microsoft Auditorium. That party starts at 10 a.m.

A post shared by Bouwen (@bouwenco) on

Smith Tower

Seattle’s “original skyscraper” is having a party in their observatory bar with specialty eclipse mimosas and a view from their observation deck. Tickets for this one will go on sale starting at 8:30 a.m.

A post shared by Smith Tower (@thesmithtower) on

High Point Public Library

High Point Public Library’s event, which is geared toward children and families, starts at 8:30 a.m., including a workshop on making your own eclipse viewer. They’ll also have a limited number of eclipse-viewing glasses on-hand. This is an outdoor-only viewing, and in the event of bad weather, the party’s off.

A post shared by Amanda (@pooreamanda) on

South Park Community Center

Starting at 8:30 a.m., the South Park Community Center viewing party will kick off with learning how to make a simple viewer and how to view the eclipse safely. Like with many similar events, the party’s off if the weather’s bad.

It’s put on by the Seattle Public Library, and like many of the others by SPL, it’s curated for children and families.

The Museum of Flight

Museum of Flight is co-presenting their event with NASA—and NASA officials will even be on-hand to answer questions. Depending on the weather, visitors will be able to view the eclipse live. Regardless, the museum will be streaming NASA’s megacast of the event, and visitors will be able to greet a NASA science aircraft when it returns from gathering information in the path of totality in Oregon. The first 1,000 visitors get free eclipse glasses.

Des Moines Library

Weather permitting, King County Library System is hosting a viewing event in the green area on the east side of the Des Moines Library starting at 9:45 a.m. They’ll have a limited amount of viewing glasses to give away.

A post shared by Katie (@katiesunbliss) on

Pierce College Science Dome

Pierce College’s Science Dome—”The South Sound’s only planetarium!”—will provide safe ways to view the the 94 percent eclipse outside, and live-stream the total eclipse inside the dome, no matter the weather. The pre-eclipse presentation starts in the dome at 8:30 a.m.

Great American Casino Lakewood

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce’s party is at Great American Casino—appropriate for what some are calling the Great American Eclipse—on the outdoor veranda starting at 9:00 a.m. This one costs $10.

Washington State Library

Starting at 8:30 a.m., the Washington State Library in Tumwater will have 90 pairs of eclipse glasses available—plus a speaker from the Tacoma Astronomical Society.