Photo from Woodlandsphila.org.

A near total (for us in Philly) solar eclipse is coming on Monday, April 8. Philly is not on the “path of totality,” but we will get a very respectable 89 percent coverage of the sun, according to NASA, which should be enough to plunge the city into mid-day darkness for a few minutes.

The moon will start moving in front of the sun at about 2:08 p.m. and peak eclipse will begin at 3:23 p.m. Hopefully it will be a clear day for maximum eclipse awesomeness. If so, you definitely want to check this one out because the next solar eclipse this good won’t be for another 20 years.

So where to go for peak eclipse viewing and astronomical camaraderie in West Philly? A good place to start is at The Woodlands, which is hosting an eclipse viewing get together on April 8 from 2-4:30 p.m. The Woodlands offers a lot of open sky to get a good look. Plus a librarian from the Walnut West Library will be organizing an eclipse-themed storytime complete with music and dancing.

Be sure to bring a blanket and/or chair and eye protection. Scientists tell us that sunglasses aren’t good enough and there’s a really good chance of long-term eye damage without protection.

So where can you get some of those eclipse viewing glasses? Here are a couple of spots in Philly:

• Lowe’s. The closest is likely at 52nd and Jefferson.
• 7-Eleven. Participating stores are selling them. There is one at 42nd and Walnut Street.
• Warby Parker is giving away free ones while supplies last. Try the one at 1523 Walnut St.

NASA has some dos and don’ts for safe viewing, including some ways to see the eclipse without glasses, like a pinhole projector.