A SOLAR eclipse is set to be visible from the UK and US in a couple of weeks, where part of the Sun’s will turn black.
In London and the southeast of the UK, around 30% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon, Dr Greg Brown, Senior Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told The Sun.
You must never to look directly at the eclipse without proper eye protection[/caption]
A partial eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth – but the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly aligned[/caption]
While for northern Scotland and Northern Ireland, roughly 40% of the Sun will be in the lunar shadow.
In the US, you’ll need to be in the north east to see it.
This includes New York, Boston and Augusta, Maine.
“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.
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 partial eclipse is due to take place on 29 March, and will last about two hours.
For Brits, it begins at around 10am and ends at 12pm, according to experts.
In the US, it’ll be from 06:13 EDT until 07:17 EDT.
Although the maximum – when the Sun is at its most hidden – will fall in between.
“While the timings vary slightly across the UK, the eclipse will be at its fullest at 11am,” explained Dr Brown.
“Though it is worth looking out for first and last contact, the point at which the Moon starts and ends its coverage of the Sun.
“These will occur at 10am and 12pm respectively.”
While eclipses have been known to cause some spooky changes to animal behaviour – and even alter the shape of shadows – there will be no changes beyond the Sun’s appearance.
“For the UK, the light will only drop by about 30%,” according to Dr Brown.
“Which is considerably less of a drop than the Sun being behind thick clouds.”
He added: “As such, animals are extremely unlikely to notice the change or react unusually like they can do during more significant eclipses.”
Just 11 partial, annular or total eclipses have been visible from the British Isles since 2003.
Although, cloud cover is always at risk of blocking the view.
The next solar eclipse will be a total ‘Ring of Fire’ in August 2026 – however, it won’t be visible from the UK.
Partial solar eclipses are different from total solar eclipses – there is no period of totality when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face.
And the only time it is deemed safe to look at the Sun is during totality.
Therefore, during partial solar eclipses, you must never to look directly at the eclipse without proper eye protection.
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.
A plane flying in front of the Sun during the a partial eclipse[/caption]
