Lots of us like to look up at the sky and spot as many of its activities whenever we can, including the arrival of a solar eclipse.
While the United States is expecting to see a solar eclipse in April 2024, Brits have a bit longer to wait.
Unfortunately, the UK won’t see a solar eclipse this year but it won’t be too long until we can spot one. Here’s what we know.
What is a solar eclipse?
“An eclipse of the Sun occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Sun and the Earth.
“During a solar eclipse, the Earth is basically in the Moon's shadow.
“Because the Moon is much smaller than the Earth, however, its shadow only covers a small area of the Earth's surface. Any solar eclipse therefore will only be visible from a certain region on Earth”, explains the Royal Museums Greenwich website.
When was the last total solar eclipse in the UK?
The UK last had a total solar eclipse occur in 1999 which is said to have been “one of the most viewed total solar eclipses due to its path falling on areas of high population density.”
Royal Museums Greenwich adds: “However, many areas of Western Europe were affected by poor visibility due to clouds. In some places, the clouds frustratingly parted after the eclipse had passed, but others were luckier with the clouds parting just in time.
“Many people went to view the eclipse in Cornwall, the only place in the UK to witness totality, with the BBC broadcasting from Cornwall's western end where the eclipse would come first.”
When will the UK next see a solar eclipse?
Each year, between two and five solar eclipses occur while a total eclipse happens around every 18 months.
Every 400 years a total solar eclipse is seen from any place on Earth, says Royal Museums Greenwich.
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The next partial solar eclipse will take place in the UK on March 29, 2025 and the one after that is expected to take place on August 12, 2026.
While it’s not long to wait for the next partial solar eclipse, the next total solar eclipse won’t happen in the UK until September 23, 2090.
When will solar eclipses be seen overseas?
The United States, Mexico and Canada can expect to see a total eclipse much sooner than the UK as one is expected on April 8, 2024.
An annular eclipse will be spotted in Argentina and Chile on October 2, 2024.
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