What time is the total solar eclipse in Wilmington? Find out here with your ZIP code

While North Carolina is not in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse, Wilmington-area residents will be able to see a partial eclipse.

A total solar eclipse is visible somewhere on Earth approximately every 18 months, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. The most recent total solar eclipse was in 2017, marking the first to be visible in the contiguous U.S. since 1979. The 2017 eclipse stretched from Oregon to South Carolina, with part of North Carolina getting to experience totality.

What time is the eclipse? How long will it last? What will it look like?

Using the USA Today ZIP Code tool, you can find more information on what the solar eclipse will look like in your area!

By searching for your ZIP code, you'll be able to view the start and end time for the eclipse, the percentage of totality, and a time-lapse of what the eclipse will look like.

You can also find Wilmington on the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Map to get information on visibility and totality!

Can't view our graphic? Search for your zip code to get a complete eclipse viewing guide.

How can you safely watch the eclipse?

You will definitely want to grab a pair of solar viewing glasses to view the solar eclipse on April 8. A list of suppliers for approved eclipse glasses can be found on NASA's webpage here.

Ordinary sunglasses, even those that are very dark, are not suitable for viewing a solar eclipse.

Additionally, the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns viewers to "never look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other similar devices," even if you are wearing eclipse glasses.

If you are traveling outside of Wilmington to a location where the total eclipse will be visible, you should only look at the unfiltered total eclipse while the entirety of the sun is covered by the moon.

More: No totality for North Carolina during April solar eclipse. Where is the closest to see it?

Where is the closest place to North Carolina to see totality?

North Carolinians will have to travel a ways to see totality.

From Wilmington, the closet location to view the total solar eclipse is Paducah, Kentucky. This city is approximately 744 miles northwest of Wilmington.

A partial eclipse will begin in Paducah at 12:42 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT). Totality begins at 2 p.m. CDT and is expected to last for two minutes, ending at 2:02 p.m. The partial eclipse will end at 3:18 p.m. CDT.

The full solar eclipse will be best viewed at 2:01 p.m. CDT, according to NASA's eclipse map.

A guide to lodging, local events, and viewing options can be found on the Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau webpage here.

Though, Wilmington residents who can't make the trek to Kentucky are still in luck. Wilmington will experience over 70% coverage, according to the USA Today Zip Code Tool.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What time is the solar eclipse in Wilmington, North Carolina?