A total solar eclipse that's set to plunge much of North America into darkness on Monday - turning the day skies into night - will only be partially visible from the UK, forecasters warn.
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun, and observers are within the darkest part of the Moon’s shadow.
The path of totality – meaning where the total solar eclipse will be fully visible – will start in Mexico.
Areas covered by partial shade witness a partial eclipse, and this is what some lucky skygazers might see in the UK later today.
So, when and where can I best view the partial eclipse in the UK?
In the UK, the partial solar eclipse crosses over the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the west of England.
The path of the total eclipse will end west of Ireland, but after sunset around 20 percent to 30 percent of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon.
In the UK, the partial solar eclipse crosses over the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the west of England
PA
Professor Don Pollacco, from the University of Warwick’s Department of Physics, said that from Glasgow about 12 percent of the Sun will be obscured at around 8pm (BST).
Under clear conditions, people in Edinburgh could see a six percent obscuration.
Doctor Edward Bloomer, senior astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said the UK is only going to get “a small grazing” of the eclipse in the west and north of the country.
Liverpool will only see a maximum of 3.1 percent coverage at 7.57pm when the Sun is basically right on the horizon – the window is very small as the start and end times are 7.55pm and 8pm.
Belfast will be treated to more of an eclipse with a maximum of 28.1 percent coverage at 8.10pm.
However, the Sun will be very low on the horizon, and the window is 7.55pm until 8.14pm.
Stornoway in Scotland will see 33.7 percent maximum coverage at 8.13pm. The eclipse will start at 7.53pm and end at 8.23pm.
Doctor Bloomer said: “I’m afraid the south and the east are out of luck this time around. We won’t ourselves get to see anything from the observatory, which we’re a bit sad about.”
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Prof Pollacco said: “The totality track ends in the Atlantic hundreds of miles west of Ireland at sunset.
“Going west the obscuration is greater, east less. Either way you will need some eye protection.”
The phenomenon itself will last two hours, with the eclipse starting in North America shortly after 2pm EDT (7pm BST).
The path of totality – meaning where the total solar eclipse will be fully visible – will start shortly after 11am local time in Mazatlan, Mexico.
From Mexico the total eclipse will last 4.5 minutes, and while this does not seem long, the maximum eclipse length possible is about seven to eight minutes.