Partial Solar Eclipse
On 20th March, there will be a partial eclipse of the sun. It should be the best in the Hérault since 1999 (assuming clear skies!). On the 20th, the sun will rise around 7:20am, and the eclipse will start around 9:05.
Over the following hour, the moon will gradually cover the sun until around 10:20 am, the sun will be 85% obscured. The eclipse will end around 11:30am.
Warning: Do not look at the sun directly. One safe method is to look at the reflection in a bowl of water.
What is a Partial Eclipse?
On Friday 20th March 2015, A total solar eclipse will occur across the far northern regions of Europe and the Artic. The eclipse’s longest duration of totality will be 2 minutes and 46 seconds off the northern coast of the Faroe Islands. This will be the last total solar eclipse in Europe for over a decade. The next being not until August 12, 2026.
PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSES
This type of eclipse is witnessed during the build up to a total solar eclipse, annular solar eclipse or just during an eclipse that will only ever be partial. Often seen from a large area of Earth, these types of solar eclipses are seen more often than any. This is mainly due to the fact that the Moon’s distance from Earth is irrelevant to us on Earth during these events. If a partial eclipse is going to happen, a big chunk of Earth will witness it. Appearing to take a ‘bite’ out of the Sun, the Moon obscures the Sun’s disc. During sunrise or sunset, partial eclipses can be quite picturesque.
As the illustration later below shows, a partial eclipse is observed from Earth when it is in the Moon’s outer shadow or ‘Penumbra’. The ever so slight darkening caused by the ‘Penumbral Shadow’ is hardly noticeable. It’s the point between full sunlight and complete shadow from the Moon. The sun’s light is so brilliant that even when partially obscured, it is difficult to notice a darkening in surrounding light (despite the obvious ‘bite’ of the Sun in the sky). Even when 60% obscured, things can seem normal.
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