A partial solar eclipse is set to be watched by residents across the Burnham-On-Sea area today (Friday) – if clouds don’t obscure the view.
While the Met Office says there is a risk of cloud cover at the peak of the 85% eclipse in Burnham at 9.28am, it says there is a possible the sky will not be fully covered and that the sun will be viewable.
People have been warned not to look directly at the sun, even with some cloud cover, to avoid damage to their eyes.
A Met Office spokesperson said: “Forecasting exactly where cloud will break and re-form is really not scientifically possible. But it’s not as thick in the south as further north, so you’re more likely to see breaks in the cloud the further south you are.”
Across southern Britain, the partial eclipse – when the moon starts touching the sun’s edge – will start at 8.45am.
The maximum eclipse will be just before 9.30am and this will be the point when the moon is closest to the centre of the sun.
By 10.41am the moon will leave the sun’s edge and the partial eclipse will end. The last solar eclipse of a similar size took place on August 11, 1999.
