Eclipse 2018: Know what precautions to take during solar eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes through the Moon's shadow. During a total eclipse, the Moon lines up perfectly with the Sun, blocking our view of the star. During a partial eclipse, as you might expect, the Moon blocks out part of the Sun.
The eclipse is the first of three happening in quick succession. There will be a total lunar eclipse on July 27 and another partial solar eclipse on August 11. Unfortunately the mainland U.S. won't be privy to any of these astronomical spectacles. The U.S. won't see another lunar eclipse until next January, and—like July 13th's eclipse—the August solar eclipse will only be visible from a largely unpopulated area.