You have two things to look forward to tomorrow: Not only is it the first day of spring (Yay, Boston!), but you’ll also be able to witness a solar eclipse- in certain parts of the world, anyway.
Luckily for you, if you’re not one of the fortunate people who can see it first-hand, we will tell you where to watch it online. But first, a few fun facts:
What is it?
A solar eclipse is a rare event that occurs when the Moon positions itself between the Earth and the Sun.
Photo courtesy of Vox
Astronomers say the eclipse is set to be particularly awesome (my words, not theirs), as the Moon is currently at the point of its elliptical orbit closest to the Earth- a configuration known as the perigee-syzygy. Don’t worry, you don’t need to memorize that. For anyone other than scientists, it’s called the “supermoon.”
Who can see it?
Those in Europe, Northern Africa, and parts of the Middle East will witness a partial solar eclipse. However, for the lucky folks living in the Faroe Islands (off the coast of the U.K.) or Svalbard, Norway, you’ll witness total solar eclipse- the rarest of all solar eclipses that occurs when the moon blocks the entire sun (see first photo).
Photo courtesy of Vox
What time can I see it?
The height of the eclipse will be at 9:30 am GMT in the UK and 10:30 am in Paris and Berlin.
Where can I watch it online?
Fortunately, thanks to the Internet, all other astronomy enthusiasts throughout the globe won’t be left out. The entire event will be broadcast online via Slooh Community Observatory, with the webcast kicking off at 04.30 am ET.
PSA:
Of course we must warn you, don’t look directly at the eclipse or you could permanently damage your eyes.
Watch the video below if you need a little more help visualizing it:
