Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth. 

 There is an eclipse of the equinox sun on March 20, 2015.

 But looking at it directly could do permanent damage to people’s eyes.

 It's best to use a pinhole camera to project the image.
In a solar eclipse, the Moon casts a shadow on the "daytime" part of the Earth. 

 The Moon is small compared to the Earth, so only part of the Earth experiences the eclipse. 

Viewed from Earth, the Moon appears to move in front of the Sun for a period of minutes to hours. 

 It becomes as dark as night if the Sun is fully blocked (total eclipse), or partially dark if the eclipse is incomplete.

 In the British Isles, the eclipse of 20th March 2015 will be seen as a partial eclipse, as shown in this map from 'Astronomy Now'...

The partial phases of the eclipse that can be expected across the UK. AN graphic by Greg Smye-Rumsby.

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