Today, April 8, 2024, the world was plunged into darkness thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime moment—a total solar eclipse as the moon perfectly blotted out the sun.
Residents of Belfast and Derry were treated to a partial eclipse with a maximum of 28.1% coverage at 8.10 p.m., the full window being from 7.55 p.m. to 8.14 p.m.
Unfortunately, most people in Northern Ireland were prevented from seeing the eclipse due to the storm over the weekend that led to a cloudy sky.
The event lasted about two hours worldwide, during which time there was darkness as the moon completely covered the sun and left planets and comets possibly visible to the naked eye.
When is the next solar eclipse?
Time And Date predicts a partial lunar eclipse in NI on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. The event will last 4 hours and 6 minutes, from 1:41 to 5:47. The site also predicts a total lunar eclipse in NI for 2 hours and 53 minutes from 03:57 to 06:50 on Friday, March 14, 2025.
According to Professor Michael Burton, director at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, NI residents can also look forward to a total eclipse show on April 14, 2200. The phenomenon is predicted to occur from Downpatrick to Enniskillen.
Ireland will have to wait until September 23, 2090, for a total solar eclipse. Professors predict that the best place to see the full show is around Co Kerry.
The usual rules of not looking directly into the sun apply as always. NASA urges viewers to wear specialised eye protection, which is said to be way darker than sunglasses, during the eclipse. Experts say looking at the sun is unsafe, except when the moon completely blocks it.
The cheapest way to see the event is pinhole projection – punch a hole in a piece of card, hold it in the sun and hold a sheet of paper behind the card. This method allows you to see the shape of the sun on paper, eliminating the need to look directly at the sun’s surface.
If you try to watch the eclipse with normal sunglasses without any protection, you can risk damaging your eyes or going blind.
