Today, the sun will meet the moon, which will partially cover it during a partial solar eclipse visible across parts of the northern hemisphere, from eastern Canada to Siberia.
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The eclipse, which is the 17th in the 21st century and the first of the year, is expected to last for about four hours. The phenomenon will begin at 8:50 AM UTC and end around 12:43 PM.
Florent Deleflie, an astronomer at the Paris-PSL Observatory responsible for calculating the astronomical calendar in France, told AFP that "the first to witness the phenomenon will be residents of Mauritania and Morocco, and the last to see it will be those in northern Siberia."
The partial eclipse will also be visible in Europe, according to the Time and Space Laboratory at the Paris Observatory. It will peak at 10:47 AM UTC over northeastern Canada and Greenland.
This location will offer the most impressive view of the eclipse, as 90% of the sun's disk will be covered. However, this will not be enough to darken the sky entirely.
A solar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon, and Earth align. When the alignment is nearly perfect, the moon's shadow cone touches the Earth's surface, completely obscuring the solar disk, resulting in a total eclipse.
This time, "the alignment was not perfect enough for the shadow cone to touch the Earth’s surface. It will remain in space, meaning no total eclipse will occur anywhere at any time," explains Deleflie.
Eye Danger
In France, the eclipse will be visible between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM UTC, with between 10% and 30% of the sun's disk being obscured, depending on the region. Thus, there will be no noticeable change to the naked eye. However, if the sky is clear, it will still be possible to enjoy the celestial phenomenon as long as proper eye protection is used.
Powerful sunlight can cause burns to the eyes and lead to permanent damage. It is crucial to use special eclipse glasses and ensure they are in excellent condition. The astronomer warns, "The slightest defect in the surface of the glasses, even if it’s a microscopic hole, can cause eye burns."
This solar eclipse follows two weeks after a total lunar eclipse that caused the moon to appear "red." Deleflie confirms that this is "common" as the moon "has completed half its cycle around the Earth, reversing the usual situation."
The last partial solar eclipse in mainland France occurred on October 25, 2022.
On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will take place, but its path will not cross France. However, it will cause 92% of the sun's disk to be obscured in Paris and 96% in Marseille.
— AFP
