Late tomorrow morning, Guernsey is due to experience a partial solar eclipse with the Moon passing between the Sun and Earth, blocking part of the Sun’s light.
The eclipse will begin at 10:01, however it will reach its ‘maximum eclipse’, with 31% of the Sun obscured, at 10:57.
The Sun will be in the south-east at the start and move towards the south, when the eclipse will end at 11:55.
Solar eclipses happen a few times a year, but total eclipses are rare for any specific location. Guernsey last experienced a total solar eclipse at the turn of the millennium in 1999, the next one won’t be until 2081.
Historically and culturally, eclipses have been seen as bad omens, as ancient people thought they were signs of angry gods.
According to Dr Jean Dean, from the Astronomy Section of the La Société Guernesiaise that was a common view point across the globe.
“Today we understand the size and relationships of the bodies in the Solar System and their orbits; and eclipses are viewed with interest and they serve to remind us of the fact that Earth belongs to a planetary system,” she said.
“The word ‘eclipse’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘abandonment’ and thus a disappearing Sun was a sign to ancient peoples that their gods were angry with them and were abandoning Earth to untold misery. In China people thought the Sun was being devoured by a dragon; they would bang drums and make loud noises to scare off the beast and bring back daylight.
“In South America, the Inca saw a solar eclipse as a sign of the sun god’s displeasure; leaders would try to divine the source of his wrath and appease him with an appropriate sacrifice. Since the Sun invariably returned such measures were probably deemed successful!”
It’s important when observing solar movements, like this weekend’s eclipse, to observe the proper safety standards.
This means you should never look directly at the Sun, and always use proper eye protection, like solar eclipse glasses or special solar filters – sunglasses are not enough to prevent potential damage.
You should also use proper solar filters on optical instruments and cameras when viewing or taking pictures of the eclipse.
Solar filters can be purchased from ‘reputable telescope shops’ in the UK.
If photographing the sun, use a Optical Density 5.0 solar filter/film, or you can follow NASA instructions on how to make a pinhole camera to view the eclipse safely, available online HERE.