90% of the sun disappeared over UK: Rare solar eclipse stuns millions across Europe

Millions of people across the UK and Europe looked skyward as a rare solar eclipse transformed the daylight, with parts of Britain experiencing noticeably darker skies during the event.

The UK saw a partial solar eclipse, with the Moon covering more than 90 per cent of the Sun for many viewers. The eclipse reached its peak shortly after 7 pm local time.

UK skies darken as Moon crosses Sun

The partial eclipse began at around 6 pm in northern Scotland and shortly before 6.20 pm along England’s south coast. It lasted for about an hour, giving spectators across the country an opportunity to watch the Moon move across the Sun.

Much of central and southern England and Wales had clear skies, allowing people to get unobstructed views. Cloudier weather affected northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but crowds still gathered at several landmarks to witness the event.

The demand for solar eclipse glasses also surged ahead of the spectacle. With supplies running out at opticians, hardware stores and even bakeries, some people used colanders, cereal boxes and sheets of paper to watch the eclipse safely.

Total eclipse brings brief darkness in Europe

While Britain experienced only a partial eclipse, parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain witnessed a total solar eclipse.

In northern Spain, the Moon completely covered the Sun, briefly plunging parts of the region into darkness. Authorities set up designated viewing areas and deployed a large police contingent as crowds travelled to rural locations along the eclipse's path.

Officials in Spain had expected as many as six million visitors across northern Spain and the Balearic Islands, where some of the best viewing locations were located.

The eclipse's path of totality began at the northern tip of Siberia in Russia before crossing the Arctic Ocean and reaching Iceland. It then moved towards Spain.

Why total solar eclipses are so rare

A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth roughly every 18 months, but any particular location sees one far less often, typically once every 400 years.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking some or all of the Sun's light.

Totality is possible because the Sun is about 400 times farther from Earth than the Moon, while its diameter is also roughly 400 times larger. This makes both appear nearly the same size in the sky.