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the sun by the moon - than Bruce.
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• Or find the time the eclipse for you with a different tool, an solar eclipse path map from NASA. As with the solar eclipse computer above, the eclipse path map gives times in Universal Time. It's a nice tool, too, although it doesn't give the times for sunset or sunrise, which you probably need for this eclipse. You can create a custom sunrise-sunset calendar here.
• Ways to watch the eclipse safely are posted here.
• This will be the first annular eclipse to take place in the mainland

Nearly all North America gets at least a partial eclipse on May 20th, with the moon taking a big bite out of the sun. The eclipse will still be in progress at sunset for much of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Image credit: SkyandTelescope.com

United States since May 10, 1994, and the next one won't come until October 14, 2023. It's the first solar eclipse of any kind in the mainland U.S. (not including Hawaii and Alaska) in the 21st century (2001-2100). Outside the path of the annular eclipse, sky watchers from much of North America will see a partial solar eclipse. For Asian viewers - who will se the eclipse on May 21, 2012 - the main eclipse path starts in China and passes through Japan, the most populous city in the world with 35 million inhabitants. It's very cool to imagine them all getting to see this eclipse - assuming they are equipped with a safe way to view it. Outside the path of the annular eclipse, sky watchers in much of northern, central and southeastern Asia will see a partial solar eclipse.
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