The coming new moon on Monday corresponds with the Great American Eclipse. This is the first total solar eclipse visible from the continental United States since 1979. The next one is in 2024. The eclipse on Monday has a narrow path of totality (about 70 miles wide) which crosses the country from Oregon to South Carolina.
Unfortunately, Tucson is out of the path of totality but will enjoy a good partial eclipse. In Tucson the eclipse starts at 9:16 a.m. and is at maximum at 10:36 a.m. It ends at 12:03 p.m. It is absolutely necessary that the sun be observed with a safe solar filter or by safe protection methods.
What can happen when you look directly at the sun? You're essentially cooking your retina, the delicate, light-sensitive tissue deep inside the eyeball. Solar radiation can kill those cells. Hours can pass before you realize the extent of the damage, according to The Associated Press.
See the following website for more safety information on how to view the sun: eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html. Very inexpensive solar filters for telescopes or visual observing can be purchased online or at science centers, museums, and astronomy shops, such as Flandrau Science Center (621-7827), Starizona (292-5010), and Stellar Vision (571-0877).
Many organizations probably will be participating in free public viewing of the eclipse. I recommend you also check with the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, Inc. (TAAA) www.tucsonastronomy.org; 792-6414 and the Flandrau Science Center for more information.
