Reply A partial solar eclipse will be visible in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., from about 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. Thursday. (Shutterstock) WASHINGTON, DC — Thursday morning in the Washington, D.C., metro could kick off with a solar eclipse for some residents, as a partial annular solar eclipse will be visible in portions of the capital city and northern Virginia. DC area residents should see the eclipse from around 5:42 a.m. to 6:29 a.m., according to timeanddate.com, which tracks such information. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is farthest from Earth and appears smaller and doesn't completely block the view of the sun, resulting in a ring of light around the darkened moon.