Cork is set to be one of the best places in Ireland to witness the upcoming solar eclipse.
The rare phenomenon will take place on Wednesday, 11 August, between 6pm and 8pm, reaching its peak around 7:13pm.
At its maximum, the moon will obscure around 96% of the sun’s disk, bringing Ireland close to experiencing a total solar eclipse. We may not see one again in our lifetimes. These events are relatively rare because the moon’s orbit around earth is tilted, meaning the sun, soon and earth do not regularly line up closely enough for an eclipse to occur.
According to Blackrock Castle Observatory, Cork is the best-placed city in Ireland to witness the eclipse. Anyone in Cork with a clear view of the sun should be able to see it.
Blackrock Castle Observatory has run out of glasses, but don’t fret, spare glasses will also be available at their eclipse viewing locations: Blackrock Castle Observatory, Tramore Valley Park and Bell’s Field.
The events are free and suitable for the whole family, with experts on hand to answer questions and explain what is happening during the eclipse.
It is not safe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse. Doing so can cause permanent damage to your eyes. Always use specially designed eclipse glasses or another approved solar viewer. Ordinary sunglasses are not suitable.
You can also make a simple pinhole eclipse viewer using a cereal box, tin foil, paper and tape.
How to make a cereal-box eclipse viewer
- Cut a piece of white paper to fit the bottom of the inside of the box.
- Attach the paper to the base inside of the box.
- Cut two holes on either side of the top of the box, making one big enough for viewing.
- Cover one of the holes with a piece of tin foil and secure it with tape.
- Use a pin or thumbtack to make a small hole in the centre of the tin foil.
To use the viewer, face away from the sun and hold the cereal box with the tin-foil-covered hole pointing towards the sun. Position yourself so that sunlight passes through the small pinhole and projects an image of the sun onto the white paper inside the box. Look through the second hole to see the eclipse safely projected onto the paper.
So, if you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of this rare event, Cork could be one of the best places in Ireland to do it.
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