Cloudy skies overshadow eclipse

Much of Northern Ireland remained cloudy during the eclipse

Cloudy weather in Northern Ireland has spoiled the view for skywatchers trying to get a glimpse of a spectacular partial eclipse of the Sun.

The moon began to slip inside the Sun's disc at 0850 BST on Monday, and by 0958 BST, almost 64% of the Sun's diameter was covered.

The Irish Astronomical Association was hoping for clear skies, although much of Northern Ireland remained cloudy.

However, the association's Terry Moseley promised that enthusiasts would not have to wait too long for another opportunity to view a partial eclipse, weather permitting of course.

"This is the first one seen from Belfast since 1999," he said.

"It so happens that there's another one next March, although it will be much smaller than this one, which was the best one we will get for the next couple of years."

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The association had invited people to attend an eclipse watch in Botanic Gardens in Belfast.

Special filtered telescopes and binoculars were available so that everyone could view the partial eclipse in complete safety.

The precautions were taken because it is dangerous to look at the Sun, even with the unaided eye, without proper solar filter protection.

It is highly dangerous to look at it with a telescope, binoculars or any sort of optical equipment.

Meanwhile, in celebration of the launch of the first man-made earth satellite, Sputnik 1, Armagh Planetarium will be collaborating with Queen's University Belfast to celebrate World Space Week in Northern Ireland.

Stars

From 3 to 7 October, students from local secondary schools will be able to view images of Belfast and the surrounding area using image-processing software created by the European Space Agency.

They will be able to remotely control the huge Faulkes Telescope "live" from Hawaii to take their own images of celestial objects.

Due to the time difference between Hawaii and Belfast, pupils can take their own images of celestial bodies such as the planets Mars and Saturn and look deep into space during the school day.

"It is important that our next generation realise the benefits of science, engineering and technology in the world around them," said Robert Hill, from Armagh Planetarium.

"By using these wonderful resources, teachers can inform students and encourage them in ways that they could not possibly have dreamed of years ago."