The countdown to the solar eclipse on Aug. 21 is only days away.

This total solar eclipse will happen when the path of the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun’s atmosphere, leaving only the “corona” to be seen.

The eclipse will be seen from Oregon to South Carolina. The first point of contact that the eclipse will have in North America will be Lincoln Beach at approximately 9:05 a.m. Pacific time, over the next hour and a half, the eclipse will move across 13 other states, ending at 2:48 p.m. EDT near Charleston, S.C.

In Carbondale, Ill. the complete cover will last almost three minutes.

Safety should be used when looking at the eclipse, due to the damage to your eyes.

A filtering type device or indirect viewing should be used when viewing the solar eclipse. Eclipse glasses can be purchased off the internet.

If you are able to take a photo of the solar eclipse, please forward a picture onto the Independent-News.