Partial solar eclipse to cross Finland tonight

Yle will broadcast live from Vaasa as a partial solar eclipse becomes visible across most of Finland this evening.

The eclipse will begin before 8 p.m. in much of the country and reach its deepest point between 8.40 p.m. and 8.55 p.m. Yle’s live broadcast from the Andromeda Observatory, run by the Vaasa Astronomical Society, will begin at 8.20 p.m.

The broadcast will include an interview with Kaj Höglund, chair of the Vaasa Astronomical Society, as well as live footage of the eclipse from Spain and Iceland.

The eclipse can be seen throughout Finland, with the best viewing conditions expected in western and northern parts of the country. Yle meteorologist Elias Paakkanen said skies would be clear in many areas, although some cloud would move over eastern Finland and northern Lapland.

According to the Finnish astronomical association Ursa, the eclipse will cover more than 80 percent of the Sun’s disc. At its maximum, 85 percent of the disc’s diameter will be covered in Kilpisjärvi and 83 percent in Helsinki.

Ursa said temperatures could quickly fall by several degrees during the eclipse as the Moon blocks the Sun’s heat radiation. The wind could also calm or change direction.

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

The Sun must only be viewed through specialised eclipse glasses. It can also be projected onto paper using, for example, a sieve or binoculars.