BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New York is just four days away from seeing a partial eclipse and 181 days from a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.
Now Erie County is giving away 300,000 free eclipse glasses, which you can get at any of the libraries or Buffalo Museum of Science.
Each person can get two pairs, but get them while you can.
"We only have 300,000 of them and we have a little less than a million people in Erie County. So we know these are going to be the hottest commodity," said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
Williamsville Central Schools has already ordered 25,000 pairs.
"These are not going to be available a few days before the eclipse," said Mark Percy, planetarium director at Williamsville Central Schools.
If you have a pair of glasses from the last partial eclipse in Buffalo, experts say you can use them for the eclipse this weekend and again in April.
"Make sure that they haven't been scratched or have any pinholes in them, folded across the lenses so they're still good to go," Percy said. "The material is made with a polymer film with carbon particles impregnated in it. Sounds like a made-up number, but that material blocks 99.99 percent of the light."
Officials with the county say they're expecting as many as a million tourists to come to Buffalo for the full eclipse and are even recommending that schools close in April, citing how the backup at the museum's viewing party in 2017 wasn't even close to the traffic jams we could see next year.
Museum officials say that backup was nothing like what the cities in the path of totality experienced on August 21, 2017.
Museum officials recommend watching the eclipse from home and if you are going to a viewing party, recommend staying there for a good portion of the day.
The Buffalo Science Museum will not have a viewing party in April.
County parks will be open to watch the eclipse but it's recommended you get there early.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see something that's going to be incredible. Buffalo is going to be sharing it with the world. And when I say the world, the responses I'm getting from Canadians and from all over the planet to come here to see the eclipse here is phenomenal," said Mike Humphrey, president of the Buffalo Astronomical Association.