Where to See the Solar Eclipse in Tampa Bay

Unless you’ve been living under a rock – as I’d been, until I was assigned the task of letting our subscribers know where to see the solar eclipse in Tampa Bay – you’ve probably known that there will be a solar eclipse on August 21. 

Ah yes, a solar eclipse…when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, thereby blocking the sun, and briefly submerging the day into darkness. People in Tampa will see more than 80% of the sun blocked by the moon from 1:17 p.m. until 4:14 p.m. with maximum coverage taking place at 2:49 p.m.

If you are interested in finding places in Tampa Bay hosting a 'watch party,' these are your choices:

Slip over to Beach for drink specials, live entertainment and more.

Beach Bar & Restaurant  

Get all the details you need on this 'toes in the sand' opportunity to see the solar eclipse in Tampa Bay in Watch the Solar Eclipse in Tampa at this Fun Beach Party! ​

Mosey on over to MOSI for this SPECIAL EVENT while under renovation:

MOSI - Museum of Science & Industry

Despite being closed for renovations, MOSI will temporarily reopen from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on the 21st. There will be telescopes fitted with solar filters through which to view the eclipse, in addition to a space talk and eclipse viewer building. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and ensure a safe viewing experience for all guests. MOSI will air a live-stream video of the event from NASA should the skies be overcast. The event is FREE, and there is no cost to park. 

Or you could head to the “quad” at:

St. Petersburg College

You can see the solar eclipse in Tampa Bay on the quad at SPC, where there will be eclipse viewers and telescopes with solar filters. The quad is east of the Natural Science building, near the south entrance of the West St. Petersburg Library. Be there, from 1:15 to 4 p.m. You can access the science building from 69th Street at 5th Avenue North. You can access parking at the library from 67th Street at 9th Avenue North.

If you’d rather not look through a telescope, then head to your local library for eclipse glasses:

The 78th Street Community Library

If you’re in Tampa, you could go to the 78th Street Community Library (7625 Palm River Road, Tampa), which will hold a Solar Eclipse Viewing Event from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the Community Room. Attendees will safely view the solar eclipse and receive free eclipse viewing glasses provided by Star_Net Project, while supplies last.

The Safety Harbor Library

If you’re west of Tampa, come to Waterfront Park (110 Veterans Memorial Lane, Safety Harbor) from 2 to 3 p.m., where the Safety Harbor Library will provide free eclipse glasses.

The other libraries in the area hosting solar eclipse viewings and providing free eclipse glasses are

  • Jan Kaminis Platt Library (3910 S Manhattan Ave, Tampa) 
  • Largo Public Library (120 Central Park Dr, Largo)
  • Seminole Community Library (9200 113th St N, Seminole)
  • St. Pete Beach Public Library (365 73rd Ave, St. Pete Beach)

The Great American Solar Eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the continental U.S. in nearly 40 years; the next won’t be until 2024. You don’t have to be an astronomer to appreciate what will be a stunning reminder of the beauty of nature, and of life.

Visit Time and Date where you can plug in your city or town to see the optimal viewing times for the 2017 solar eclipse. Log into NASA TV for live coverage from the International Space Station. They will broadcast as they pass by the sun, should be spectacular! You can directly communicate your questions to the astronauts when they are live on TV. 

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