A solar eclipse has been visible across the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, as the Moon moved between the Earth and the Sun, gradually obscuring the solar disc.
The eclipse was first visible in Edinburgh at about 18:28 BST on Wednesday, with the phenomenon expected to reach its peak in the Scottish capital at around 19:06.
Observers gathered at Calton Hill in Edinburgh watched as the Moon appeared to take a “bite” out of the Sun, while sunspots were also visible through telescopes, according to the BBC.
The eclipse was already fully underway in parts of Iceland and Greenland, while several other European countries were positioned to experience a total eclipse.
More than 90 per cent of the Sun was expected to be obscured by the Moon across much of the UK, making it the most significant solar eclipse visible from Britain since 1999.
Large crowds gathered at viewing points across the country to witness the rare astronomical event. Demand for specialist eclipse glasses was also reported to have left some outlets sold out.
The Moon first began covering the Sun at the northernmost tip of mainland Russia at about 17:00 GMT, leaving the Sun’s outer corona visible and casting an unusual darkness over the landscape.
The eclipse then travelled across parts of Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain, where its narrow path stretched diagonally from the north-western Atlantic coast towards the Mediterranean.
The event was expected to end in the region at about 18:30 GMT.
In Spain, tourists, astronomers and enthusiasts gathered in normally quiet villages along the path of totality. The event was particularly significant as mainland Europe had not experienced a total solar eclipse for two decades, while Spain had not witnessed one for more than a century.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow over the Earth and temporarily blocking some or all of the Sun from view.
The extent of the eclipse depends on the alignment of the three bodies. A partial eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only part of the Sun, while a total eclipse occurs when the Moon completely obscures the solar disc along a relatively narrow path.
Experts urged the public to take precautions when observing the eclipse, warning that looking directly at the Sun without suitable eye protection can cause serious and permanent damage to eyesight.
The event has also drawn the attention of scientists. A team of Irish researchers planned to travel across the Atlantic to study the Sun’s corona during the eclipse, using the brief period of obscuration to gather scientific observations of the outer atmosphere of the Sun.
