The countdown is under way for Monday's big solar eclipse. The city will not experience a full eclipse, but plenty of places are promising a memorable viewing experience. NY1's Jared Smith has a preview.
There were long lines Thursday outside an eyewear store in Manhattan, with people hoping to score a free pair of eclipse glasses. It was evidence that seen-it-all New Yorkers are getting swept up in Eclipse mania.
"I didn't expect them to have any glasses left, but they do," eclipse watcher Dan Rose said.
The first coast-to-coast eclipse in 99 years will clip the city on Monday.
At its peak in New York City, beginning at 2:44 p.m., the moon will cover 71 percent of the sun. There will be plenty of locations to catch a glimpse — hopefully a safe one — of the action.
The American Museum of Natural History is opening its terrace for viewing. A giant screen will show a live feed from NASA, which is expected to show feeds from 12 locations across the country in the eclipse's path.
For a party atmosphere, rooftop bars around the city are holding watch parties. At the Americano Hotel in Chelsea, you can take in 360-degree views of the skyline while knocking back special Solar Eclipse Black Martinis.
"What we're doing is we're actually inviting people to play hookie for a day," said Osama Adwell, the general manager of the hotel. "Take advantage of summer. It's going to be one of the last days of summer, and take in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the solar eclipse."
Or if you'd like to safely view the eclipse on your own, you can stop by any Warby Parker eyeglass stores throughout New York City and pick up a free pair of solar eclipse glasses.
"The news about this has certainly picked up, and I didn't know what to do," Rose said. "I thought maybe I would turn my back and do a selfie with it."
"Everyone sort of knows that it's happening, but it's not a big deal for them, but now you get free eclipse glasses, and on top of that, it's a cool natural phenomenon," eclipse watcher Asher Dubin said. "You might as well join the parade and look at the eclipse on Monday."
So grab your glasses, and scope out the sky.