Wales is set to see another partial solar eclipse this week

Amelia Jones 

Skywatchers will have another chance to see an unusual celestial event in the early hours of Friday, August 28, when a deep partial lunar eclipse takes place.

It follows the partial solar eclipse on August 12, which saw the Moon pass in front of the Sun and cover a huge proportion of it across Wales. In Cardiff, around 93% of the Sun was obscured, while parts of the UK saw between roughly 90% and 96% coverage.

While the two events are happening remarkably close together, they are very different types of eclipse.

During a solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking some or all of the Sun from our view. This time, it is the Earth that moves between the Sun and Moon.

As the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow, part of its surface will become noticeably darker and may take on a reddish or coppery colour. This happens because sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere is scattered and refracted towards the Moon.

Solar and lunar eclipses commonly occur within roughly two weeks of each other because of the alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon.

This lunar eclipse is completely safe to view with the naked eye, although binoculars or a telescope could make the changing colours and shadows easier to see.

The eclipse begins at around 2.23am, when the Moon enters Earth’s lighter penumbral shadow.

The partial eclipse begins at 3.33am, before reaching its maximum at around 5.12am. At that point, roughly 93% of the Moon’s visible surface will be within Earth’s darkest shadow.

The Moon will be low in the sky by then, so you’ll need a clear view towards the south-western or western horizon.

In Cardiff, the maximum eclipse is expected at around 5.12am, making the early morning the best opportunity to catch the most dramatic part of the event.

You can find out more about how to see it here. 

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