Total Solar Eclipse: The Best Places to See the August 12 Europe Event and How to View it Safely

• Millions of Europeans will witness a total solar eclipse on the evening of August 12, with northern Spain in the path of totality
• The last total solar eclipse visible from the UK occurred in 1999, making this partial eclipse the most significant in 26 years
• Experts are urging viewers not to look at the sun with the bare eye, warning it can cause permanent eye damage

Millions of people across Europe are preparing to witness a stunning celestial event on Wednesday, August 12 evening, as a total solar eclipse tracks across parts of Spain, Portugal, Greenland, and Iceland.

A wide band of northern and central Spain sits at the heart of the spectacle, where the moon will completely block out the setting sun between 20:26 and 20:33 local time, depending on location.

Across much of western Europe, including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and northern Italy, a partial eclipse will darken the sky as the moon moves partially in front of the sun.

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Although the UK will only experience a partial eclipse, astronomers say it is the most dramatic one seen there since 1999, when parts of Devon and Cornwall fell within the path of totality.

The next comparable partial eclipse visible from the UK is not expected until 2081, and a full total eclipse will not reach its shores until 2090.

Dr Megan Argo, a reader in astrophysics at the University of Lancashire and vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, described it to the Guardian as "the best eclipse that we've had in the UK since 1999," adding that no other partial eclipse in recent years has reached this level of coverage.

For London-based viewers, the Royal Observatory Greenwich has calculated that the partial eclipse will begin at 18:17 BST, peak at 19:13 BST, and conclude at 20:06 BST.

Dr Carys Herbert, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, noted that people in Cornwall will see roughly 96% of the sun covered, while those in west Scotland can expect 93% coverage and Londoners around 92%.

Because the eclipse will occur low on the horizon, Herbert advised finding a spot with an unobstructed westward view, free of buildings and trees.

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How to watch the total eclipse without damaging your eyes

Experts are unanimous on one point: never look directly at the sun with the bare eye or through ordinary sunglasses, as doing so risks permanent eye damage. Special eclipse glasses are the safest option.

For those without eclipse glasses, Herbert suggested using a colander or a similar object to create a pinhole projector, which casts an image of the eclipse onto a sheet of card or paper without requiring anyone to look at the sun directly.

For those fortunate enough to be watching from Spain under clear skies, the view will be dramatic.

As the moon moves in front of the sun, the disc will appear to have a growing bite taken out of it, shrinking to a slim crescent before the moon retreats and sunlight returns in full.

Clouds remain the one variable beyond anyone's control, but astronomers are hopeful that much of the continent will enjoy clear conditions for what is only the first total solar eclipse to cross mainland Europe in roughly two decades.

Source: YEN.com.gh