A Bulls Eye Travel Event? Where To Watch The First Solar Eclipse Over the US in 18 Years

"Annular"--that's the description astronomers are giving to the upcoming May 20 eclipse. No need to get out your dictionaries: it means that at its peak, the moon will cover the sun in such a way that it will look like a bull's eye.

But to see that you'll need to be in the right place, which in this case means California, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

In particular, you may want to head to a National Park. Not only will their be fewer distractions, in the form of man-made lights and tall buildings, to affect your view. But the National Park Service will have astronomers, NASA staffers and members of local astronomy clubs on hand to give a blow-by-blow of the event, as crowds watch (through special lenses, as this is the type of eclipse that can damage eyes if viewed incorrectly).

The parks that will be in the direct center eclipse's path include:

• California: Redwoods National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Utah: Zion National Park
• Arizona: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• New Mexico: Canyon De Chelly National Monument and Petroglyph National Monument

To learn more about the events being offered, go to www.nature.nps.gov/features/eclipse.

But do it soon! Events at Petroglyph National Monument are already sold out.