Rare solar eclipse next week

A PARTIAL eclipse of the sun will be visible across the UK just before sunset on Monday.

Providing the weather is fine, the rare solar eclipse should be visible at around pm.

The moon will block out 10 per cent of the sun’s diameter, and 2 per cent of its area, with dark spots speckling the sun’s surface. Starting around 7.30pm, the peak of the eclipse will be visible at around .04pm in London, at 7.5 pm in Edinburgh and at .05pm in Cardiff, lasting around 40 minutes.

While only a partial eclipse in the UK, viewers in the US will get to see a more impressive total solar eclipse.

The partial eclipse can only take place on a new moon, as this is when the moon passes directly between the earth and the sun.

The last total solar eclipse in the UK was on August 1, 1999, over Cornwall and South Devon – but was almost completely blocked by clouds for most.

The next eclipse visible from Britain will not occur until September 23, 2090.