A partial solar eclipse will take place this Saturday, with the Moon crossing in front of the Sun for approximately four hours. The celestial event will be visible across parts of the Northern Hemisphere, including France.
Across France, between 10 and 30 percent of the Sun will be covered by the Moon on Saturday morning, with northern regions getting slightly greater coverage than those further south.
However, the effect will be subtle, and without protective eyewear the difference may not be immediately noticeable to the naked eye, according to the Paris Observatory.
The eclipse will begin at 8:50am UT – 9:50am in France – and conclude at 12:43 UT with the peak of the eclipse occurring at 10:47 UT, with visibility varying depending on location.
It will be visible across much of Europe, as well as parts of northeastern North America and northwest Africa.
Posting on Bluesky, the observatory stressed: "Be careful not to look directly at the Sun without suitable protection!"
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Understanding the eclipse
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth align in such a way that the Moon partially obscures the Sun.
In contrast, a total solar eclipse, where the Sun is completely covered, results in a brief period of twilight.
During this Saturday's eclipse, the Moon will cover up to 90 per cent of the Sun in certain northern latitudes – particularly in northeastern Canada and Greenland.
Observing a solar eclipse requires precautions to prevent eye damage. Looking directly at the Sun, whether during an eclipse or at any other time, can cause irreversible harm to eyesight.
Special solar eclipse glasses are recommended, and the Paris Observatory has warned that even a minor defect in these – such as a microscopic hole – could be dangerous.
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The Sun’s light is so intense that the obscured portion will not be visible in a standard image. A smartphone camera without a proper filter will not capture the partial eclipse accurately.
Saturday’s eclipse will be the first solar eclipse of the year and the 17th of the 21st century. It follows a recent total lunar eclipse – known as the “Blood Moon”.
