The solar eclipse on April 8 will bring eerie darkness to a long swath of the United States, Canada and Mexico during totality. Totality is the only safe time to look directly at the sun without solar eclipse glasses or other certified eye protection. Being inside the path of totality is also the only way to see eclipse features such as Baily's beads. In the US, totality will begin in Texas at 1:27 pm CDT and will end in Maine at 3:35