Partial solar eclipse due tomorrow

A partial solar eclipse will be visible tomorrow morning as the sun rises.

The eclipse will be visible for those who have a clear northeastern horizon particularly on the east coast.

It will be seen across all of northern Europe and is the major astronomical event for 2011 in this part of the world.

At maximum contact the eclipse will cover about 40 per cent of the sun’s surface, though it will still be below the horizon in Ireland at that time.

However, weather permitting, observers should see the sun substantially eclipsed between 8.37am when it rises and 9.26am the point of final contact by which time the sun will be four degrees above the horizon.

By 9am the sun should be about 20 per cent eclipsed.

Last month there was a total lunar eclipse which coincided with the sun rising on the shortest day of the year, December 21st.

Astronomy Ireland is holding an eclipse watch from 8.15am tomorrow at the Howth summit car park.

Observers have been warned not to look directly at the sun as it can cause blindness.

Astronomy Ireland has encouraged people to e-mail their observations of the eclipse to sun@astronomy.ie.