Partial eclipse visible from UK on Tuesday – how and when to see solar event | UK News

A partial solar eclipse will be seen across the UK on Tuesday, which will make the sun “look like it’s been bitten”.

Experts have warned people not to look directly at the sun, while parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to enjoy the best views.

In London, the phenomenon will start at 10.08am, with maximum eclipse It happens at 11.13am, when the Moon will cover nearly 15% of the Sun.

Lerwick in Shetland is expected to have a good view, with 28% of the sun blocked during the eclipse.

Belfast is expected to see 25% of the sun hidden at 10.53am.

Solar activity is visible from most of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and western Asia.

Jack Foster, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, said: “The degree of shadowing you see depends on where you are.

“A person watching from the UK will see 10 to 20 per cent of the sun covered by the moon.

“Even though part of the sun will be blocked, the light in the UK will not be significantly dimmed during the eclipse.”

The partial eclipse will end at 11:51 am.

Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society said the phenomenon would cause the moon to block the view of “part or all of the bright solar surface”, while the sun “appears to be bitten off”.

Observers in western Russia’s western Siberia will get the best view of the eclipse, where the moon will block up to 85 percent of the sun, he said.

How should you watch a solar eclipse?

Dr Massey warned that looking directly at the sun can cause serious eye damage – an event that should not be viewed through binoculars, telescopes or telephoto lenses on DSLR cameras.

He added: “The easiest way to watch an eclipse is to use a pinhole in a card.

“The image of the sun can then be projected onto another card behind it (experiment with the distance between the two, but at least 30cm is required).

“Under no circumstances should you be looking through a pinhole.”

Another popular method of observing eclipses is mirror projection, Dr Massey said.

“You need a small flat mirror and a way to put it in the sun so it reflects sunlight into the room where you can see it on the wall or some kind of flat screen,” he said.

“You may also own eclipse glasses with certified safety markings, which are available from specialist astronomy suppliers.

“As long as these aren’t damaged in any way, you can look at the sun through them.”

Read more about Sky News:
Check the weather in your area

Small tornadoes in France destroy dozens of homes

Binoculars or telescopes can also be used to project images of the sun.

Dr Massey said: “Mount them on a tripod, mount a card with a hole in the eyepiece and place the other card between 50cm and 1m behind it.

“Point your telescope or binoculars at the sun and you should see a bright image of it on a separate card.”

For those keen to follow the event, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich will be broadcasting the eclipse on its website and YouTube channel.

Source link