Armagh Observatory and Planetarium was packed with families preparing to watch a rare partial solar eclipse, as excitement built ahead of Wednesday evening’s event.
The Moon is expected to cover more than 90% of the Sun over County Armagh. The eclipse has been described as likely to be the deepest seen from the region since the total eclipse of August 1999, and the last comparable eclipse visible here until 2090.
What Armagh residents can expect
The event will not produce a total blackout. Professor Michael Burton, director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said the Moon would pass between Earth and the Sun and block most of the solar disc.
“It’s not going to be a total eclipse. It’s not going to go totally dark, but about 94, 95% of the Sun will be blocked out.”
Coverage is expected to vary across the island of Ireland. The west and south are forecast to see 98% coverage, while the figure is expected to be about 94% in the east and north, including the Armagh region. Parts of Spain, Greenland and Iceland are among the areas expected to experience a total eclipse.
The eclipse is scheduled for August 12, 2026. The Belfast Telegraph report, published at 12.23pm on August 12, said the planetarium had already filled with visitors in anticipation of the astronomical event.
Viewing events and the science behind the spectacle
Armagh Observatory joined Dunsink in Dublin and Blackrock Castle in Cork in organising viewing events. The gathering offered families an opportunity to observe an event that makes the relationship between Earth, the Sun and the wider solar system easier to see.
“We’re having one of these remarkable astronomical events, which tells us that we live on a spaceship – spaceship Earth – and it’s travelling around our solar system.”
Professor Burton said eclipses can make people feel part of a larger cosmic event, rather than simply distant observers of the night sky.
“It does remind us that we are a small part of the universe, and this is a cosmic happening out there, and we are part of that.”
Dr Rok Nežič, who works in science communication and outreach at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said anticipation had been building for hours before the eclipse. He described eclipses as relatively common but said it was rare to experience one close to home.
“I will say, it’s always also hard to judge how much people get excited because we’re always excited, it’s our job, but it’s been so far fantastic.”
Dr Nežič said he hoped the event would inspire a new generation of astronomers. He recalled speaking to someone from the United States who had seen an eclipse as a high-school student and had continued travelling to see others, including a planned trip to Spain.