Watch the Total Solar Eclipse Live

2 minute read

The moon will slowly and completely cover the face of the sun, enveloping the sky in darkness this week during a brief total solar eclipse.

The celestial spectacle, which NASA says happens about once a year on Earth, will begin on Wednesday in parts of Southeast Asia and will cross the international date line to end Tuesday local time, the New York Times reports. Indonesia, Borneo and Sulawesi will experience a blackout at some point from 7 to 11 a.m. local time, according to the newspaper.

NASA has sent a team of scientists to Indonesia, where researchers will document the total solar eclipse for an experiment aimed at measuring a certain kind of light scattered by electrons in the lower corona. The area can only be observed during total solar eclipses, the space agency said.

The period of total eclipse, called totality, will occur at 7:37 p.m. EST and last for about two minutes, according to Slooh, a space broadcasting website. Another eclipse will be visible across the U.S. in August 2017.

See Stunning Photos of a Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse is seen from the city of Ternate, in Indonesia's Maluku Islands, on March 9, 2016.
A total solar eclipse is seen from the city of Ternate, in Indonesia's Maluku Islands, on March 9, 2016. Bay Ismoyo—AFP/Getty Images
A partial solar eclipse is seen from Kathmandu, Nepal on March 9.
A partial solar eclipse is seen from Kathmandu, Nepal on March 9.Sunil Pradhan—NurPhoto/Corbis
A total solar eclipse is visible from Belitung. Indonesia on March 9.
A total solar eclipse is visible from Belitung. Indonesia on March 9.Zulkarnain—Xinhua Press/Corbis
Indonesian residents wear eclipse glasses to watch a solar eclipse outside a planetarium in Jakarta, on March 9.
Indonesian residents wear eclipse glasses to watch a solar eclipse outside a planetarium in Jakarta, on March 9.Mast Irham—EPA
A partial solar eclipse is seen from Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 9, 2016.
A partial solar eclipse is seen from Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 9, 2016. Adi Weda—EPA
The moon passes in front of the sun during a partial solar eclipse seem from Manila on March 9, 2016.
The moon passes in front of the sun during a partial solar eclipse seem from Manila on March 9, 2016. Ted Alijibe—AFP/Getty Images
The moon passes in front of the sun during a partial solar eclipse seen from Naypyidaw on March 9.
The moon passes in front of the sun during a partial solar eclipse seen from Naypyidaw on March 9.Ye Aung Thu—AFP/Getty Images
Acehnese men watch the total solar eclipse in Banda Aceh on March 9.
Acehnese men watch the total solar eclipse in Banda Aceh on March 9.Chaideer Mahyuddin—AFP/Getty Images

TIME will host a livestream of the event on this page provided by Slooh, which will feature solar experts, including Professor Lucie Green and Slooh astronomer Bob Berman. Skygazers can also follow along live with NASA.

Slooh is a TIME partner. You can go to Slooh.com to join and watch this live broadcast, snap and share your own photos during the event, chat with audience members and interact with the hosts, and personally control Slooh’s telescopes.

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