What to know about the solar eclipse and where the path of totality will cross Solar eclipses are ‘rare’ but scientists can predict them hundreds of years in the future. Here’s what you should know ahead of Wednesday’s solar eclipse event. Most of the solar eclipse event is a partial eclipse. Anchorage, Alaska: maximum eclipse at 28% at 8:21 a.m.Washington, D.C.: maximum eclipse at 4% at 1:53 p.m.Algiers, Algeria: maximum eclipse at 96% at 7:33 p.m.Kraków, Poland: maximum eclipse at 64% at 7:56 p.m.Lisbon, Portugal: maximum eclipse at 95% at 7:36 p.m.Madrid, Spain: maximum eclipse at 99% at 8:32 p.m.Milan, Italy: maximum eclipse at 92% at 8:20 p.m.Paris, France: maximum eclipse at 92% at 8:17 p.m.St. Petersburg, Russia: maximum eclipse at 79% at 8:51 p.m.More times and locations can be viewed here. A solar eclipse should only be viewed with proper eye protection, like eclipse glasses.