A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun. If the Moon completely covers the Sun, it is a total solar eclipse. If the Moon only partly covers the Sun, it is a partial solar eclipse. Although you will not see the 1 August event as a total eclipse in Ireland, you will see a partial eclipse, starting around 9:23 am local time (8:23 UT). The last solar eclipse was seen in Ireland two years ago, on 29 March 2006. But for the following one we will have to wait another seven years, till 20 March 2015.
This is how you will see this partial solar eclipse if you are in:
Armagh/Belfast (starts 09:23; maximum 10:13; ends 11:04)
Athlone (starts 09:23; maximum 10:09; ends 10:58)
Cork (starts 09: 24; maximum 10:07; ends 10:53)
Dublin (starts 09:24; maximum 10:11; ends 11:00)
Galway (starts 09:22; maximum 10:08; ends 10:56)
Limerick (starts 09:23; maximum 10:08 ends 10:55)
Sligo (starts 09:21; maximum 10:09; ends 11:00)
Waterford (starts 09:25; maximum 10:09; ends 10:56)
Of course, you can see a total solar eclipse if you go to Russia, Mongolia or China. Click here to see a Google map of the totality.
Click here to see an animation of the eclipse's shadow on the Earth (courtesy of Dr. Andrew Sinclair).
WARNING
DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN WITHOUT PROPER EYE PROTECTION, AS IT MIGHT PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR EYESIGHT!
We will soon give you information about eclipse seeing events organized around your areas.