Cliff Notes
- A partial solar eclipse occurred in the UK on Saturday, with the moon obscuring approximately 30-40% of the sun, particularly visible in southeast England around 11.03am.
- Public gatherings took place in locations like Greenwich, while many others observed the event online, utilising safe viewing methods such as solar glasses and telescopes.
- The next total solar eclipse is not expected until 2090, prompting experts like astronomer Catherine Muller to encourage the public to enjoy partial eclipses in the meantime.
‘Experiencing the solar system for yourself’: Sun obscured over the UK in partial solar eclipse | Science, Climate & Tech News
UK stargazers were treated to a partial solar eclipse on Saturday morning, a phenomenon that sees the sun partially obscured by the moon.
Up to 40% of the sun was covered as the moon passed between the sun and Earth, partly obscuring the star.
Members of the public gathered to watch the spectacle in Greenwich while thousands more followed online.
“It’s a different way of experiencing the mechanics of the solar system for yourself,” said Catherine Muller, an astronomer at Royal Observatory to Sky News science correspondent Thomas Moore.
“We know about it theoretically, we know that the moon orbits the Earth and they might pass by us but really getting to see it in a new and different way is quite exciting for a lot of people.”
Looking directly at the sun is dangerous so astronomers used glasses, solar telescopes and pinhole cameras to watch the event.
The eclipse was visible across several other parts of the world, including western Europe, Greenland, north-west Africa and north-east North America.
For people in the southeast of England – where the weather meant the UK views were best – the peak of the eclipse was at around 11.03am.
At that point, around 30-40% of the sun was obscured, according to the Royal Observatory.
Northwest Scotland had the most coverage of the sun with 47.9% in Gallan Head, with Manchester getting 36.1% of coverage.
Dover had the least coverage of the sun with only 28.1%.
The next total solar eclipse is not for another 65 years in 2090, so Ms Muller recommends “making the most of the partial ones when they’re around”.