August 2008: Two partial eclipses.

[Weather-history]

Two eclipses during August will be visible from the UK. All times BST.

On the 1st of August 2008, there will be a partial eclipse of the sun from about 9.30am to just after 11am. Maximum eclipse will be around 10.15am and the further north and east you are, the greater the obscuration

eg. Penzance: 8.3% of the sun will be obscured at maximum

Lerwick: 36.2% of the sun will be obscured at maximum

This will be the last eclipse of the sun of the decade to be seen from the UK, the next one will be the sunrise eclipse of 4th January 2011.

On the 16th of August 2008, there will be a large partial lunar eclipse of about 80% The peak of the eclipse will be about 10.11pm and the partial phase ends about 11.45pm

The Moon will enter the umbral shadow at about 8.36pm and be about the altitude of the Moon depends how far north you are. The further north, you are, the lower the altitude of the Moon will be at maximum eclipse.

Fingers cross for clear skies!

[stewfox]

Two eclipses during August will be visible from the UK. All times BST.

On the 1st of August 2008, there will be a partial eclipse of the sun from about 9.30am to just after 11am. Maximum eclipse will be around 10.15am and the further north and east you are, the greater the obscuration

eg. Penzance: 8.3% of the sun will be obscured at maximum

Lerwick: 36.2% of the sun will be obscured at maximum

This will be the last eclipse of the sun of the decade to be seen from the UK, the next one will be the sunrise eclipse of 4th January 2011.

On the 16th of August 2008, there will be a large partial lunar eclipse of about 80% The peak of the eclipse will be about 10.11pm and the partial phase ends about 11.45pm

The Moon will enter the umbral shadow at about 8.36pm and be about the altitude of the Moon depends how far north you are. The further north, you are, the lower the altitude of the Moon will be at maximum eclipse.

Fingers cross for clear skies!

Was going to see it (USSR) but realise there is a full one in USA next year

Edited July 16, 2008 by stewfox

[Weather-history]

Was going to see it (USSR) but realise there is a full one in USA next year

What do you mean by full one? There's no total solar eclipse to be seen from US soil until 2017.

[Michael Winston]

Thanks, Mr. Data.

As you say, let's hope it's clear - my son will want to see it.

Regards,

Mike.

[Mesosphere]

i sure will be watching the lunar one , dont' know about the solar one

[shuggee]

Going by your figures Mr D - say Edinburgh achieves 25% obscured - do you have any sources that discuss whether we would actually notice?!

[Weather-history]

Going by your figures Mr D - say Edinburgh achieves 25% obscured - do you have any sources that discuss whether we would actually notice?!

No, if you didn't know an eclipse was taking place you wouldn't notice anything different. Only when the eclipse is about 50% or more that you might notice things such as the shade of the blue in the sky is darker, shadows are much sharper, you might see small crescents on the ground as light is filtered through trees as they act like pinhole cameras. Also temperature drops if you have a thermometer exposed in the sun.

Talking about pinhole cameras, here is a website on the techniques that can be used to watch a solar eclipse safely.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/sola...lipse_view.html

Edited July 16, 2008 by Mr_Data

[stella]

How about TWO opportunities to view this eclipse, and guaranteed to

be free of cloud?

At about 10.13 and again at about 11.30 U.T. about 50% of the solar

disc will be covered as seen from the International Space Station.

If they do not manoeuvre the station upwards on July 23, as is scheduled,

then the crew would get to see a 90% eclipse.

Information credit to Herr Holtkamp.

[Weather-history]

A reminder that the solar eclipse is this Friday morning.

[opplevelse]

A reminder that the solar eclipse is this Friday morning.

Should be good here in Oslo, about 50% ... but if you go up to Svalbard and can avoid those nasty climate change left trouser leged off polar bears ... you should get about 94%

[Coast]

[stewfox]

No, if you didn't know an eclipse was taking place you wouldn't notice anything different. Only when the eclipse is about 50% or more

Afraid nearer 85%

all set up for tomorrow

[Mondy]

If you can't see the eclipse, have a lookie here, here, here, here or here

[Phil UK]

If you can't see the eclipse, have a lookie here, here, here, here or here

Looks like the five 'Here's' with the UK weather as I type at the moment but I'll strive to get any images that I can.

Even more so if you live in Scotland.

Phil.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

Fine and clear here in Lerwick at the moment so Im looking forward to seeing about 36% of the sun blotted out

[opplevelse]

Light broken alto stratus here ... hopefully it breaks up a bit more before maximum in 1:30hr

[Louby]

cloudy here with the very odd break for the sun to shine threw for about 5 seconds

[Weather-history]

Eclipse is about 10 minutes away from starting for the Shetlands.

Short bursts of sunshine here at the moment.

[maidstone weather]

Here in Kent, it's a typical blustery day, with messy grey and white clouds, but equally some nice sunny spells in between. Clouds moving pretty quick so shouldn't obscure the sun for too long

[robl1200]

Here in Kent, it's a typical blustery day, with messy grey and white clouds, but equally some nice sunny spells in between. Clouds moving pretty quick so shouldn't obscure the sun for too long

Same weather here but ive just been fortunate enough to have a couple of seconds between the clouds to view Partiality, quite impressive now but im sure would look even better on the centreline in Russia soon.

[geri2k]

I look a bit mental carrying my bucket of water round the garden trying to find the suns reflection.

I can't find it!

Geri

[Weather-history]

[James M]

Can see it here when we get some breaks in the clouds.

[Coast]

Not enough breaks in the cloud to see any sun today, but the general light is certainly different from the usual overcast and cloudy type scenario, very eery

[opplevelse]

Now full sun, that loevly eerie mutedness which accompanies a partial eclipse (I\ve seen quite a few, never seen a total one though). about 10min from maximum coverage.

It is like the sun shining through bushfire smoke during an Aussie summer, except the dapled tree shadows have cresents cut out of them.