Partial solar eclipse begins across Finland before 8 pm

A partial solar eclipse will begin across much of Finland before 8 pm on Wednesday, with the best viewing conditions expected in the west and north, Yle reports. The eclipse will reach its maximum between 8.40 pm and 8.55 pm.

The evening is expected to be clear in many parts of the country. Some cloud will move over eastern Finland and northern Lapland, according to Yle meteorologist Elias Paakkanen. At Kilpisjärvi in the far north, where the eclipse will be most visible, the cloud situation remains uncertain.

The eclipse should be visible throughout Finland and will be almost equally deep across the country. In the south and east, the Sun will set before the final moments of the eclipse south of a line running roughly from Kaskinen to Kuusamo.

According to the Finnish Astronomical Association Ursa, more than 80 per cent of the Sun’s disk will be covered. The coverage will reach 85 per cent at Kilpisjärvi and 83 per cent in Helsinki.

The eclipse begins at 7.43 pm in Utsjoki, 7.45 pm in Kilpisjärvi, 7.52 pm in Oulu, 7.56 pm in Vaasa, 8 pm in Helsinki and 8.01 pm in Mariehamn. The maximum occurs between 8.37 pm in Utsjoki and 8.54 pm in Mariehamn. The eclipse ends between 9.14 pm in Lappeenranta and 9.42 pm in Mariehamn.

A total solar eclipse will be visible in eastern Greenland, on Iceland’s west coast and in northern Spain.

The eclipse may be viewed only with special protective glasses, although people can safely go outside during it. Ursa had reserved thousands of protective glasses, which were quickly taken by people interested in the event.

Ursa astronomer Anne Liljeström recommends number 14 welder’s glasses as an alternative, although she says they are difficult to obtain. The next total solar eclipse visible in Finland will not occur until 2126.