Witness the Spectacle: Northern Hemisphere Braces for a Partial Solar Eclipse Today!

Attention sky-gazers! A captivating partial solar eclipse is set to take place today, captivating viewers across the northern hemisphere. This astronomical phenomenon will allow the moon to partially obscure the sun, creating a stunning visual display that you won't want to miss!

How to Safely View the Eclipse:

As exciting as this event is, please remember that safety comes first when observing the eclipse. Jake Foster from the Royal Observatory advises against staring directly at the sun without proper protection. To ensure a safe viewing experience, eclipse glasses or a solar viewer are essential. These devices feature a special filter that blocks out 99.9999% of the sun’s light, making it safe to gaze upon.

For those without eclipse glasses, don’t worry! You can create an indirect viewing method using common household items. Foster suggests utilizing a colander or a piece of cardboard with a small hole poked through it. By holding this up to the sun, you'll project an image of the eclipse onto a surface below, allowing you to see the moon taking a bite out of the sun without risk to your eyesight.

Visibility Details:

The partial solar eclipse will unfold in the UK between 10 AM and noon, with the best viewing conditions expected in the eastern regions where the skies are likely to be the clearest. This celestial event will also be visible across various parts of Europe, Greenland, northwest Africa, and northeast North America. In certain areas of Canada, viewers might see about 90% of the sun obscured – a truly remarkable sight!

As the moon passes in front of the sun, it won’t trigger the eerie twilight that comes with a total solar eclipse. Instead, observers will see the sun transformed into a crescent shape. Jake Foster notes that while around 30% to 40% of the sun will be obscured for many in the UK, the change might not be discernible without direct observation.

The event will kick off in London at 10:07 AM, peak at around 11:03 AM, and wrap up by noon.

What’s Next?

Excitement for enthusiasts doesn’t stop here! The next total solar eclipse visible from the UK won't occur until 2090, but a significant total solar eclipse will grace parts of Europe, including Spain, in August 2026, with some areas like Ibiza expected to be in the center of the action.

Don’t let this opportunity pass by! Grab your eclipse-viewing gear and prepare to marvel at this beautiful celestial phenomenon safely. Stay tuned for live coverage as we bring you updates and visuals from around the world!