Armagh Observatory and Planetarium was packed with families on Wednesday, 12 August, as visitors prepared to watch a partial solar eclipse described as one of the most significant astronomical events visible from the region in decades.
The Moon is expected to cover around 94% to 95% of the Sun in the east and north of Ireland during the eclipse on Wednesday evening. It will not become a total eclipse or plunge the area into complete darkness, but the scale of the coverage is expected to make it a striking event for observers in Armagh and elsewhere in County Armagh.
A rare event for Armagh observers
The eclipse is expected to be the deepest seen from the region since the total eclipse in August 1999. The source report says another eclipse of this kind will not be visible here until 2090, giving the event particular significance for families and young people attending the viewing activities.
Coverage will be greater in the west and south of Ireland, where around 98% of the Sun is expected to be obscured. In the east and north of the island, including Armagh, the predicted coverage is about 94%. Parts of Spain, Greenland and Iceland are among the locations expected to experience a total eclipse.
Armagh Observatory joined organisations in Dunsink, Dublin, and Blackrock Castle in Cork in arranging eclipse viewing events. The busy planetarium provided a focal point for visitors who had gathered in advance of the astronomical event.
‘A cosmic happening’
Professor Michael Burton, director of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said the eclipse offered a reminder of Earth’s place in the solar system. He described the Moon passing between Earth and the Sun, with the two bodies appearing almost the same angular size from Earth, allowing the Moon to block out most of the Sun.
“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 visitors could feel connected to the wider universe through the eclipse, rather than seeing the stars as distant objects. He said the event showed that people on Earth were part of major happenings in the solar system.
Dr Rok Nežič, who was conducting science communication and outreach at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said anticipation had been building for hours before the eclipse. Although eclipses are common in space, he said seeing one close to home was rare and helped explain the excitement among visitors.
“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 eclipse would encourage a new generation to take an interest in astronomy. He recalled speaking with someone from America who had seen an eclipse as a high-school student and had continued travelling to see more, including a planned trip to Spain.
The eclipse viewing events placed Armagh among the locations sharing the experience with observers across Ireland and around the world, while giving local families the chance to witness an event that will not return in comparable form to the region for many decades.