One idea from NPR to watch the eclipse safely is from inside a box with a pinhole in it (see video below).

Whether you’re ready or not, the moon will blot out the sun on Monday afternoon. And it’s better to be ready for that sort of thing, isn’t it?

The eclipse will pass over New York between 1 and 4 p.m. The maximum blockage (about 71% of the sun) will be around 2:45 p.m.

We’ve already explained the science behind the solar eclipse, but wanted to add a few ways to watch the eclipse if you’re in the neighborhood. One important tip: Don’t look directly into the sun, because it will burn your retinas. If you don’t have eclipse glasses, there’s a video below on how to make an eclipse-viewing device out of a cereal box.

The Parks Department advises people to get to an open area so their view won’t be blocked by trees or buildings.

One good spot, the department suggests, is Sheep Meadow, where there are few trees. The meadow is around 67th Street towards the West side of Central Park.

Another place to watch is at Bethesda Terrace and Fountain in the middle of Central Park just North of 72nd Street with the Amateur Astronomers Association. “We have telescopes equipped with special filters for viewing the Sun. You may bring your own equipment, but we insist on strict safety provisions due to the dangers of improperly filtered direct solar viewing. All devices used for direct solar viewing must be fitted with approved filters.”

And the Museum of Natural History will be holding an event with both indoor and outdoor viewing options (if you’re inside, you’ll get to see NASA’s special feed of the event). We wrote about it here.

If you’re outside in the neighborhood watching, send us pictures of how other people around you are watching — especially if they’re wearing a box on their head. Send the pics to westsiderag at gmail dot com.

Check out the videos below on how to make your very own eclipse-viewer: