Today, millions of people across Europe will get the chance to experience their first total solar eclipse in 27 years.

Starting at 15:34 GMT, the brightness of the daylight hours will gradually be interrupted as the moon begins to block the sun, eventually turning day into sudden night for about two minutes along the path of totality.

So which countries will see it? How do solar eclipses occur? Where and how can you watch it safely? In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera unpacks everything you need to know.

What time is the solar eclipse?

The time of the eclipse depends on where you are because the moon’s shadow will move across Earth’s surface from the Arctic towards Europe.

Here is how today’s eclipse will unfold:

15:34 GMT: The partial eclipse begins at the first location on Earth.
16:58 GMT: The total solar eclipse begins at the first location.
17:46 GMT: The eclipse reaches its maximum with totality lasting about two minutes and 18 seconds near the centre of its path.
About 17:48 GMT: The eclipse reaches its maximum in Reykjavik, Iceland.
About 18:27 GMT: Totality reaches Spain.
18:34 GMT: The total eclipse phase ends globally.
19:58 GMT: The partial eclipse ends at the last location on Earth.

Which countries will see the eclipse?

The path of totality, which is when the moon orbits in front of the sun and blocks its entire surface facing Earth, will cross northern Russia, Greenland and Iceland before sweeping across Spain and a small part of Portugal, bringing almost total darkness to about 15 million people.A partial eclipse will be visible across much of Western Europe, parts of Northwest Africa, most of Canada and part of the northern United States. Overall, about 980 million people, nearly one in eight worldwide, might see the sun at least partly covered depending on weather conditions.

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Will the eclipse be visible in Europe?

Most of Europe should see a partial eclipse in the evening around sunset.

In Paris, roughly 92 percent of the sun will be covered, in London 91 percent and in Berlin 85 percent.

For most European cities farther east, the sun will set before the eclipse reaches its maximum point, meaning the deepest part of the eclipse will never appear in the sky.

Will the eclipse be visible in the US and Canada?

Yes, but only as a partial eclipse.

In Canada, the northeastern city of St John’s, Newfoundland, will see about 53 percent coverage, dropping to 18 percent in Montreal and 8 percent in Toronto.

In the US, parts of Alaska will see the deepest eclipse in the country with about 37 percent of the sun covered in Fairbanks and 28 percent in Anchorage. Coverage will be much lower elsewhere in the US at about 24 percent in Bangor, Maine, 9 percent in New York and just 3 percent in Detroit, Michigan.

How long will the total solar eclipse last?

At the time of maximum eclipse, totality will last about two minutes and 18 seconds.

The duration will vary depending on the exact location.

In northern and eastern Spain, which will have prime viewing opportunities, the cities of Leon, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Teruel and Valencia are all located inside the path of totality.

Totality will begin at roughly 18:27 GMT in western Spain (8:27pm local time) and last for up to 110 seconds, depending on the exact location.

Madrid and Barcelona fall just outside this band, but observers there will still experience more than 99 percent solar coverage.

What happens during a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking some or all of the sun’s light.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely covers the sun for those within the path of totality, briefly darkening the sky and revealing the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona.

INTERACTIVE - What happens during solar eclipse lunar-1786271820 (Al Jazeera)

How to watch a solar eclipse safely

While eclipses are a spectacle to watch, looking directly at the sun can cause severe eye injury. For most of the eclipse, proper eye protection is essential. Here are some tips for what you should and shouldn’t do.

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Do:

Wear certified eclipse glasses or use a safe handheld solar viewer.
Check glasses for scratches, tears or damage before using them. Supervise children using eclipse glasses.
During a total eclipse, remove eye protection only when the moon completely covers the sun.
Put it back on as soon as the sun begins to reappear.

Don’t:

Use ordinary sunglasses, regardless of how dark they are. They do not provide enough protection during totality.
Look at the sun through a camera, binoculars or telescope without a specialised solar filter.
Use eclipse glasses with unfiltered cameras, binoculars or telescopes. Concentrated sunlight can burn through the filter and seriously damage your eyes.

Can you look at a solar eclipse without glasses?

There is only one exception: During the brief period of totality when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face, it is safe to look without eclipse glasses.

At all times outside totality, eye protection is required throughout the eclipse.

How to take photos safely

Pointing a camera directly at the sun can damage the sensor.

To ensure camera safety, the camera needs a proper solar filter. During the couple of minutes when the sun is 100 percent covered, the filter comes off and you can shoot bare.

The filter should go back on the instant the first bead of sunlight returns.

How can you watch the solar eclipse online?

NASA will livestream the solar eclipse on Wednesday starting at 17:15 GMT.

When will the next total solar eclipse be?

The next total solar eclipse will be on August 2 next year. It will cross southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Use the widget below to see when the next eclipse will be in your city. (Al Jazeera)

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