A PARTIAL solar eclipse is set to be visible from the UK this weekend, where as much as 40% of the sun will go dark.
Check out the map below to see where the eclipse will be visible across the UK.
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A partial eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth – but the sun, moon, and Earth are not perfectly aligned.
This means that only part of the sun is hidden by the moon.
The event will last about two hours, beginning at 10am and ending at 12pm, on 29 March.
Although the peak — when the sun is at its most hidden — will fall in between at around 11am.
The timings will vary slightly across the UK, according to Dr Greg Brown, Senior Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
As much as 40% of the sun will be covered by the Moon’s shadow in northern Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Whereas roughly 30% of the sun will be covered in London and the southeast of the UK.
The UK is expected to have one of the best views on the continent.
“The only country in Europe with a better view [than the UK] will be Iceland with a magnitude of 0.74 which is about 68% coverage of the sun,” said Dr Brown.
Onlookers have been advised to wear proper eye protection when observing the solar eclipse, to avoid permanent damage to their vision.
However, people’s viewing plans could be scuppered by the weather as the Met Office forecasts cloud and rain.
On a clear day, those in northern parts of Scotland would enjoy the best view of the eclipse.
But folks may be left disappointed due to cloud cover.
Stephen Dixon, spokesman for the Met Office, said: “There’s patchy cloud around on Saturday in the south.
“The north west of Scotland, which has the best window for seeing the partial solar eclipse, is unfortunately going to see rain and cloudy skies.
“However, those further south in England on Saturday should see some break in the cloud.”
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How to watch a solar eclipse safely
Here’s the official advice from the American Astronomical Society…
Looking directly at the Sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse (“totality”), when the Moon entirely blocks the Sun’s bright face, which will happen only within the narrow path of totality.
The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers.
Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the Sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight.
Always inspect your solar filter before use; if scratched, punctured, torn, or otherwise damaged, discard it. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.
Always supervise children using solar filters.
If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on. Put your eclipse glasses on over them, or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.
Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the bright Sun. After looking at the Sun, turn away and remove your filter — do not remove it while looking at the Sun.
Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device.
Similarly, do not look at the Sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury.
Image credit: Getty
