This Tuesday, a partial solar eclipse is expected over part of the Northern Hemisphere. It will last, in France, almost 2 hours, but will not darken the sky, as Le Parisien reports.
The phenomenon will begin at 10:58 a.m. (French time) in Iceland. The eclipse will progress to India, where it will end at 3:02 p.m. In the meantime, it will pass through Europe, in particular metropolitan France, North-East Africa and the Middle East.
This will be the 16th such astrological phenomenon of the 21st century, and the second this year. During a solar eclipse, the Earth, Moon and Sun are aligned. Seen from the perspective of certain places on the Planet, the Sun is then partially or totally obstructed.
Regarding today’s eclipse, it will be strongest in Kazakhstan, where the sun will be 82.2% obstructed. In metropolitan France, the percentage of obstruction will remain at less than 20%. The perception will not be the same throughout France: indeed, the obstruction varies according to the place from which one observes the eclipse.
Thus, the eclipse will be particularly visible, especially in Strasbourg, where the obstruction rate will be 19.5% at 12:09 p.m. Conversely, it will be almost imperceptible in Bordeaux, where the peak of obstruction at 12:01 p.m. will only reach 5. 1%, according to actu.fr. To perceive a darkening of the sky in broad daylight, experts agree that the percentage of obstruction must reach at least 95%, according to Le Parisien.
The eclipse will be noticeable if the weather is good and you look at the sun directly. Observers will then be able to see a small sliver of sun missing from the upper left side of the solar disk. Attention ! You must wear appropriate protective glasses, otherwise you will burn your eyes, risking blindness. Normal sunglasses will not suffice in any case, and if you observe the phenomenon through a telescope or binoculars, it is imperative that they are equipped with a UV filter.
For those disappointed who were expecting a spectacular darkening of the sky, we will have to wait a bit. The next total eclipse will take place on August 12, 2026, and the obstruction percentage will be 92% in Paris, and 96% in Marseille.