Everything You Need To Gear Up For Watching The Total Solar Eclipse

The countdown has begun: It's less than a month until the country's biggest astronomical event of the century. On August 21, a Total Solar Eclipse will sweep across the U.S., with the best viewing areas occurring along a line running from Oregon to South Carolina.

Even if you aren't in one of the lucky states that will see the moon completely block the sun, you'll still witness a partial eclipse. The views are sure to be spectacular, but you can't take them in with your bare eyes or even with a regular camera alone. The sun will be so bright that special precautions must be taken by anyone looking to photograph, record, or simply look into the sky above.

Ahead, three essentials for any solar eclipse spectator, from the casual observer to the more committed viewer.