SOLAR ECLIPSE · WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026
Barely. 4.5% of the Sun, and you won't notice it without glasses.
The August 12, 2026 solar eclipse is technically visible from Baltimore, but barely: at maximum, 4.5% of the Sun is covered at 1:52 PM EDT, and daylight will look completely normal; even a 50% eclipse leaves the day looking ordinary. With eclipse glasses you can watch a small bite between 1:15 PM and 2:29 PM.
EYE SAFETY: READ BEFORE YOU LOOK
A partial eclipse is never safe to look at unprotected
- Never look at the partially eclipsed Sun with bare eyes.Sunglasses are not protection, not even several pairs stacked, no matter how dark.
- Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, checked for scratches or damage before every use.
- Never point a camera, telescope, or binoculars at the Sun while wearing eclipse glasses: concentrated sunlight destroys the filter and your eyes. Optics need their own solar filter mounted on the front of the instrument.
- No glasses? Pinhole projection is the safe indirect method: cross your fingers into a waffle and watch the crescent Suns on the ground, even the gaps between tree leaves act as natural pinholes.
SAME NIGHT
Make it a double feature
Maximum eclipse is 1:52 PM; after dark that same night, the Perseid meteor shower (the year's best) peaks over Baltimore under a moonless sky.
Perseids over Baltimore that night →Common questions
Where should I look?
Face south-southwest (SSW): the Sun stands 63.9° above the horizon at maximum eclipse, at 1:52 PM local time. Never look at it without ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses; ordinary sunglasses are not protection, no matter how dark.
What time exactly is the eclipse in Baltimore?
First contact is at 1:15 PM, maximum eclipse at 1:52 PM, and last contact at 2:29 PM local time on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 74 minutes from start to finish.
Do I need eclipse glasses?
Yes. For every second of it. Even at maximum, 95.5% of the Sun's surface is still blazing over Baltimore, far more than enough to damage your eyes. Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer.
Will clouds block it?
The latest forecast shows 5% cloud cover over Baltimore at maximum eclipse (1:52 PM). Forecasts firm up as the day approaches; check back the evening before for the final call.