People across Wales are being encouraged to look to the skies this evening as a rare solar eclipse promises one of the most dramatic astronomical events visible from the UK in decades.
The eclipse will begin shortly after 6.15pm on Wednesday, August 12, with the Moon gradually moving across the face of the Sun before reaching its peak at around 7.13pm. In much of Wales, including Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, more than 93% of the Sun is expected to be obscured at maximum eclipse.
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Although the global event is a total solar eclipse, Wales will experience it as a deep partial eclipse. The path of totality, where the Sun is completely blocked out, passes through parts of Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain rather than the UK.
In Newport, the eclipse is expected to begin at 6.16pm, reach maximum coverage at 7.13pm and come to an end just after 8pm. Similar timings are forecast across the rest of Wales.
Despite not reaching totality, astronomers say the spectacle will still be remarkable. The Moon will cover such a large proportion of the Sun that observers should notice a significant dimming of daylight and see the Sun transformed into a thin crescent shape.
The event is particularly significant because it is being described as the deepest solar eclipse visible from the UK since the famous eclipse of August 1999. Millions of people across Europe are expected to watch as the Moon passes in front of the Sun.
Anyone planning to watch the eclipse is being reminded never to look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection. Experts warn that ordinary sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection and that certified eclipse glasses or approved solar viewing filters should be used.
Clear skies and an unobstructed view of the western horizon will provide the best opportunity to see the eclipse. With the Sun sitting relatively low in the sky by the time maximum coverage is reached, weather conditions will play a major role in determining how much of the spectacle can be seen.
For many people in Wales, tonight's event will be the closest thing to a total solar eclipse they are likely to see for many years, making it a rare opportunity to witness one of nature's most impressive phenomena.
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