This Saturday, the Moon will partially obscure the Sun over the Northern Hemisphere in a partial eclipse that will last about four hours. While it won't plunge the sky into darkness, observers will need to take precautions to observe it safely.
The celestial phenomenon will begin at 08:50 GMT and end around 12:43 GMT.
In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Florent Deleflie, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory – PSL and responsible for calculating the astronomical calendar for France, explains that "the first inhabitants of the Earth to observe the phenomenon will be those of Mauritania and Morocco, while the last will be the residents of northern Siberia."
The eclipse will also be visible in Europe and will peak at 10:47 GMT over northeastern Canada and Greenland, according to the Paris Observatory's Time and Space Laboratory.
How does a solar eclipse work?
A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are nearly aligned. When this alignment is nearly perfect, the Moon's shadow touches the Earth's surface and completely obscures the Sun's disk: this is a total eclipse.
But that won't be the case this time. No region will be plunged into total darkness. At best, the Moon will cover up to 90% of the Sun's visible surface, and only in the high northern latitudes. Only residents of these areas will be able to observe what Deleflie describes as a "cold light" emanating from the Sun.
What we will see in France
In metropolitan France, the eclipse will be visible between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. GMT. Depending on the region, between 10% and 30% of the Sun's surface will be obscured.
Deleflie clarifies: "To the naked eye, there will be no visible difference compared to a normal day."
Precautions to take
Watching the Moon "nibble" at part of the Sun can be fascinating, but precautions must be taken.
Looking directly at the Sun – eclipse or not – can cause severe retinal burns or even irreversible vision loss.
Deleflie warns: "Using special eclipse glasses is an option, but even the slightest scratch—even microscopic—can be enough to cause damage." Instead, he recommends visiting astronomy associations or specialized observation centers.
"They have telescopes equipped with suitable filters. "This not only allows them to observe the eclipse safely, but also to admire the fascinating details of the solar surface, such as spots or prominences," he adds.
He also advises against photographing the eclipse with a smartphone without a suitable filter: "The light is so intense that the dark part won't even appear in the image."
A rare astronomical event
Saturday's partial eclipse will be the 17th of the 25st century and the first of the year. The last partial eclipse visible from mainland France was on October 2022, XNUMX.
The next major solar eclipse will take place on August 12, 2026: it will be total, obscuring up to 92% of the Sun in Paris and 96% in Marseille.
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