Where's the Best Place to See This Month’s Solar Eclipse?

Europe’s biggest solar eclipse since 1999 is set to occur on the 20th March this year. Experts estimate that nearly 90 per cent of sunlight will be blocked over parts of Europe, with London experiencing 84 per cent less light. The path of the shadow of the moon where a full eclipse is visible (totality) will travel from just under the peninsula of Greenland, heading up to the Arctic Circle. Inhabitants of the Faroe Islands and Northern Scandinavia will experience the full eclipse, with a duration of around two to three minutes between each location.

Dr Steve Bell, of the HM Nautical Almanac Office, told the MailOnline: “The path of totality lies well to the north-west of the UK, making landfall over the Faroe Islands and Svalbard as totality moves towards the North Pole.”

Where is the best place to view the March 20th eclipse in Europe?

One of the best places to view the eclipse in Europe has been named as the coastal city of Torry Battery in Aberdeen. Cosmic stargazers are expected to flood this area, and the North of Scotland, for a chance to view the eclipse.

Where can you view a partial eclipse?

Experts say that North of Europe will be plunged into near darkness, with around 90 per cent of the sun’s light blocked as the Moon passes in front of the Sun. A partial eclipse will be visible across areas of Europe, Russia and North Africa, with just 40 per cent sunlight blocked.

We all know that staring directing at the sun is extremely bad for our eyes. But can the same be said for a solar eclipse? Experts agree that it is. However, there are ways we can safely watch the solar eclipses. You can find out more in: What’s Best Way to Safely Watch a Solar Eclipse?

What time does the eclipse start?

Experts predict the solar eclipse to start just after 8.30am, peaking at around 9.40am and ending at around 10.45am. The partial eclipse visible in London will begin at 8.45am GMT with the moon at its closest point to the centre of the sun at 9.31am. The eclipse in London will end at 10.41am.

Dr Bell said: “The UK will see this eclipse as a deep partial eclipse. Skies will darken for any location where the maximum obscuration exceeds 95 per cent which includes north-western Scotland, the Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetland Islands.”

How does this eclipse measure up to the 1999 eclipse?

The time the Earth saw a solar eclipse of a similar size occurred on 11 August 1999. Dr Bell explained the difference between this month’s eclipse and the eclipse in 1999: “In a global context, the maximum duration of totality for next month’s eclipse will exceed the maximum of two minutes and 23 seconds of totality for the 1999 eclipse, which occurred close to Ramnicu Valcea in Romania.” The maximum duration for totality is seven minutes 31 seconds. And the next total eclipse will occur in the year 2026.