A solar eclipse is set to grace skies across Northern Ireland on Thursday, in what’s been described as the “best eclipse in a decade.”
The annual solar eclipse will be seen worldwide but some countries will have a better view of it than others.
It’s been nicknamed the “Ring of Fire” as the moon will move between the Earth and the Sun, causing the sun to appear as a bright ring in the sky.
David Moore Chairman & Editor, Astronomy Ireland magazine said: "Given this is the best Eclipse in a decade, everyone in Ireland should make sure they witness it over the two and a half hours that it will take place, so I strongly recommend people book the day off work to see this extremely rare natural spectacle!
"While Ireland is a long way from the centreline of this Annular Eclipse if it's clear, we will see a spectacular Partial Eclipse!
"Given the Irish weather it is important to note that you can see the Eclipse for over 2 hours, so even if the weather forecast isn't great, plan to watch the entire event, in the hope of seeing something!"
If you’re hoping to see a glimpse of the partial eclipse in Belfast, here’s everything you need to know:
What time will it appear in Belfast?
The partial solar eclipse will happen on Thursday, June 10 and will be seen right across the world.
In Belfast, the Ring of Fire is set to begin at 10:03am, hitting its maximum point at 11:12am, before finishing at 12:25pm.
How will the eclipse look?
At the start of the eclipse, a small bite will appear in the upper right corner of the Sun. This will progressively get larger. moving from right to left, until by mid eclipse, around a fifth to a quarter of the Sun will be covered by the Moon.
The bite will then begin to get smaller as the eclipse ends.
What will the weather be like during the eclipse in Belfast?
The weather is set to get off to a cloudy but dry start, with some bright then sunny spells developing.
How to view the partial eclipse?
It's very important that you don't look directly at the sun - either during an eclipse, or at any time since it can cause damage to your eyes.
Projecting the Sun through a pinhole projector, using binoculars or telescope, or simply 2 pieces of card is a safe and easy way to view a solar eclipse.
