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Sun and Moon set to put on show World watches total Sun eclipse
(1 day later)
Skywatchers around the globe can see a total eclipse of the Sun on Friday. A total eclipse of the Sun has been witnessed in Canada, Russia and China, casting dramatic shadows and allowing a glimpse of the Sun's outer atmosphere.
A dark shadow will sweep across the surface of the planet in a broad arc as the Moon passes directly between the Earth and our star. The Moon's shadow arced over the Earth as the lunar body passed directly between our planet and its star.
The eclipse begins in Canada's high Arctic and ends in northern China's Silk Road region. In all, the path of darkness covered about 10,200km (6,300 miles).
Parts of northern Russia will go dark for two minutes, 27 seconds from 1021 GMT - but Britain will only experience a partial eclipse around 1016 BST. Russia saw the longest full eclipse, for two minutes, 27 seconds, at 1021 GMT - but the UK and most of Europe experienced just a partial eclipse.
That partial eclipse will be seen across most of Europe, Asia and north-eastern North America. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1217576991/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1217576991/html/1.stm', '1217577015', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=440,left=312,top=100'); return false;">The eclipse path covers 10,200km (6,300 miles) href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1217576991/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1217576991/html/1.stm', '1217577015', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=440,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Image
As is always the case with eclipses, tourists and amateur and professional astronomers have been flooding towns in the best viewing locations - along the path of totality. "Totality" began at sunrise at 0921 GMT in Queen Maud Gulf off Victoria Island in the territory of Nunavut, Canada.
The instant of greatest eclipse occurred at 1021 GMT close to the Russian city of Nadym, before totality came to an end at 1121 GMT near the Chinese city of Xi'an, in Shaanxi province.
Tourists and amateur and professional astronomers flocked to towns in the best viewing locations along the path of totality.
In Novosibirsk, Siberia's cultural and scientific capital, more than 5,000 foreign tourists were expected to show up in the city.In Novosibirsk, Siberia's cultural and scientific capital, more than 5,000 foreign tourists were expected to show up in the city.
"The viewing points will be set up in the very beautiful historical and cultural places of Novosibirsk, there will be a number of telescopes there. Thirty-eight telescopes will be set up in the park on the River Ob embankment," said local official Alexei Borisek. China experienced the eclipse just a week before the opening ceremony of Beijing's Olympic Games.
Chinese TV was due to broadcast the eclipse live, with crowds of people gathered along the Silk Road, a fabled trading route through the country's western deserts.
Eclipses were once viewed as unlucky events in China, but the country's media had rebranded the event as "the Olympic eclipse", reports said, hoping for good fortune ahead of the sporting jamboree.
Moonshadow
The eclipse allowed astronomers a glimpse of the Sun's corona - its outer atmosphere of super-heated gases. The area is usually impossible to see because of the bright light of the Sun, but is visible during a total eclipse as the Sun's light is obscured.
Total solar eclipses usually take place about once every 18 months, and always at new Moon - when the lunar body sits directly between the Sun and the Earth.Total solar eclipses usually take place about once every 18 months, and always at new Moon - when the lunar body sits directly between the Sun and the Earth.
Astrophysicist Fred Espenak talks through a Nasa animation of a solar eclipse
However, they do not happen every new Moon. The lunar orbit is slightly tilted to that of our planet and therefore the Moon's shadow often misses the Earth.However, they do not happen every new Moon. The lunar orbit is slightly tilted to that of our planet and therefore the Moon's shadow often misses the Earth.
The Moon's shadow has two parts: an umbra and a penumbra.The Moon's shadow has two parts: an umbra and a penumbra.
The umbra is the "inner" part of the Moon's shadow, and people inside this zone will witness the full glory of the eclipse. The penumbra is the Moon's faint "outer" shadow. It will only give surface viewers a partial eclipse. The umbra is the "inner" part of the Moon's shadow, and people inside this zone will witness the full glory of the eclipse.
This will be the case for skywatchers in the UK, for example.Proper protective gear for the eyes is essential for safe viewing The penumbra is the Moon's faint "outer" shadow. It will only give surface viewers a partial eclipse.
In London, where the Moon's disc takes its biggest bite out of the Sun at 1016 BST (0916 GMT), a maximum of 12% of the star will be blotted out. The Sun was partially eclipsed over London on Friday morning
Conditions are better further north. In Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, the Moon will obscure as much as 36% of the Sun. In London, where the Moon's disc took its biggest bite out of the Sun at 1016 BST (0916 GMT), a maximum of 12% of the star was blotted out.
Astronomical groups have reminded the public that viewing the Sun without protective equipment - even in partial eclipse phases - can result in a retinal burn and permanent eye damage. Conditions were better further north. In Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, the Moon obscured as much as 36% of the Sun.
Viewing the Sun's harsh light should only be done through proper solar telescopes or glasses, or through a pinhole projection system.The path of the Moon's shadow will cover more than 10,000km Astronomical groups reminded the public that viewing the Sun without protective equipment - even in partial eclipse phases - could result in a retinal burn and permanent eye damage.
Totality is timed to begin at sunrise at 0921 GMT in Queen Maud Gulf off Victoria Island in the territory of Nunavut, Canada. Viewing the Sun's harsh light should only be done through proper solar telescopes or glasses, or through a pinhole projection system.
The instant of greatest eclipse occurs at 1021 GMT close to the Russian city of Nadym.
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Totality ends at 1121 GMT near the Chinese city of Xi'an in Shaanxi province. Were you watching the eclipse?
In all, the Moon's umbra will have travelled along a path approximately 10,200km long. Send your solar eclipse pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 for UK residents or +44 7725 100 100 internationally. If you have a large file you can href="http://bbcnewsupload.streamuk.com/">upload here. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/2780295.stm#yourpics">Read the terms and conditions
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