How to safely view the solar eclipse in April [Video]

WASHINGTON — On April 8, a large swath of North America will see day turn into night for as long as four-and-a-half minutes as a solar eclipse passes across the continent. 

The eclipse will enter over Mexico’s Pacific coast, move up through Texas and Oklahoma, crisscross the Midwest, Mid Atlantic and New England, before exiting over eastern Canada into the Atlantic.

If you’re in its path, here’s how to watch the eclipse. 

Safety first

To safely view the eclipse, special protection for your eyes is imperative to prevent damage to your vision. 

“It is not safe to look at the sun even with sunglasses,” Jackie Faherty at the American Museum of Natural History told the Associated Press. “In order to look at the sun you need to ensure that whatever eyewear you have on or protective gear is blocking all …