By Samantha Jones-
Many Britons eager to witness the awe-inspiring celestial event of a solar eclipse were met with disappointment as cloudy skies obscured the phenomenon across the UK on Monday.
While tens of millions of spectators in the U.S were treated to the spectacle, those in Britain struggled to catch even a glimpse but at least witnessed a partial eclipse.
The solar eclipse, a captivating event where the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, creating a temporary shadow over parts of the planet, occurred on Monday.
However, experts expressed doubt regarding the visibility of the eclipse in the UK due to unfavourable weather conditions.
Dr. Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director at the Royal Astronomical Society, expressed scepticism about whether anyone in the UK managed to witness even a partial eclipse. He remarked, “I’m wondering whether or not anybody in the UK actually saw it,” highlighting reports of cloudy conditions across various regions.
Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge reinforced this sentiment, stating that the chances of observing the eclipse in England and Wales were slim. He emphasized that outside the north-west of Scotland, the eclipse would have been minimal and possibly unnoticeable even without cloud cover.
The next opportunity for Britons to witness a total solar eclipse won’t occur for another six decades, scheduled for 2090. The last total solar eclipse visible from the UK took place in 1999, leaving many astronomy enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the next occurrence.
Social media platforms were inundated with images of solid grey clouds, with some individuals humorously describing the obscured view as “breathtaking” and “beautiful.” Despite efforts to catch a glimpse, many, like Lewis from Castlederg, County Tyrone, were left disappointed, with Lewis describing his experience as witnessing “an utterly jaw-dropping set of cloud formations.”
However, not all experts believe the partial eclipse would have been worth observing. Prof Don Pollacco from the University of Warwick dismissed partial eclipses as “really boring,” suggesting they’re not worth the time. In contrast, he hailed total eclipses as “very magical,” highlighting the remarkable experience they offer.
While Britons missed out on this celestial spectacle, in Mexico, the US, and Canada, many were treated to a breathtaking display of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona. Spectators marveled at the rare event, with Louis Boulet from eastern Canada describing it as “a mixture of cosmic beauty and terror.”
Despite the disappointment felt across the UK, the anticipation for future astronomical events remains high, with enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to witness the wonders of the cosmos.