The rare celestial phenomenon happens when the Moon partially covers the path of the Sun and comes a matter of weeks after the UK witnessed a partial lunar eclipse
A partial solar eclipse is set occur this weekend as millions of Brits will have the chance to see a portion of the Sun blocked out. This celestial phenomenon happens when the Moon passes across the star’s path and blocks some of its light as viewed from Earth.
As it is only partial eclipse, up to 40% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon. This is opposed to total eclipse when, as the name suggests, the entire sun is blocked out by the Moon. For anyone wanting to see the stunning view, it’s best to prepare for Saturday, March 29.
Rare ‘blood-red’ lunar eclipse to light up skies in March – best dates to see display
The event will be on this day in part of North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Arctic Ocean. While in the UK, it is expected to be visible for only a short period on that day – just before 10am for a matter of minutes.
Royal Museums Greenwich said that the partial solar eclipse will begin at 10.07am and the maximum coverage will occur at 11.03am. Those in London are likely to have the best view when it is at its peak. The eclipse will then end at 12pm.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill suggested in a YouTube video that we could even see a higher percentage of coverage: “This zone covering the UK ranges from 50% to 30% The further northwest you are in the UK the more of an eclipse you are likely to have, whereas towards the southeast it’s a little bit less – still 30% and still a large chunk taken out of the Sun.”
Meanwhile, the Met Office’s Stephen Dixon offered a view of the weather forecast during the eclipse. He said: “There’s patchy cloud around on Saturday in the South.
“The northwest 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.”
Anna Gammon-Ross, an astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich told the MEN: “Solar eclipses aren’t visible everywhere because the shadow cast by the Moon onto the Earth’s surfaces during these events is small – you need to be in the right place at the right time to see one. It’s exciting for the UK as we don’t experience many solar eclipses.”
However, she warned the public: “Please never look at the Sun directly, even during an eclipse! The Sun produces more light than our eyes can safely process. The NHS warns looking directly at the Sun can cause permanent eye damage. This is known as solar retinopathy, and can cause lasting symptoms such as blurred vision or even blindness.”
The event comes weeks after a partial lunar eclipse was visible over the UK. The night sky was adorned with a rare ‘Blood Moon’ on March 14 as our natural satellite drifted into the Earth’s shadow, an event eagerly enjoyed by astronomy enthusiasts.
Despite its scary name, this describes the coppery red glow given to the Moon during a lunar eclipse. Specialists at the Natural History Museum explained: “The Moon turns red during an eclipse because of how the Sun’s light interacts with Earth’s atmosphere.
“As it hits the atmosphere, shorter wavelengths of light such as the colour blue are scattered outwards. Longer wavelengths like red, however, are bent or refracted into Earth’s umbra. When these strike the surface of the Moon, they can make it appear red – a similar process to how the sky appears red during a sunrise or sunset.”
