Solar Eclipse April 8th 2024

Please email your images to magazine@astronomy.ie for our special Irish Solar Eclipse report.

Begins Monday Apr 8, 2024 at 7:55 pm

Maximum at 8:10 pm 0.260 Magnitude

Ends at 8:13 pm

A partial Solar Eclipse will be visible all over Ireland on the evening of 8th April. As it will be close to sunset a good vantage point with a clear view to the setting Sun on the Western horizon is advised.

WEATHER ON THE DAY

Use the satellite images (in visible light) on met.ie to see where the clouds are and how they are moving:

https://www.met.ie/latest-reports/satellites/ireland-visible

For a wider picture of what’s going on look at the ‘Europe wide’ images:

https://www.met.ie/latest-reports/satellites/europe-visible

Press the PLAY button on each of the above to see where the clouds are moving.

Remember though, as temperatures drop at nightfall clouds can dissolve and disappear so it would be an unwise ‘eclipse chaser’ who is NOT sitting outdoors looking low in the West from 7:55pm to sunset (latest sunset in Ireland is 8:30pm)

Tell us your experience by emailing MAGAZINE@ASTRONOMY.IE even if you see only clouds, we want to hear from you that you tried!

SAFE VIEWING

Of course it can be highly dangerous to view the Sun and a partially eclipsed Sun is just as dangerous – perhaps more so as people will be drawn to looking at it. NEVER look at the Sun with ANY optical aid (binoculars or telescopes) as permanent eye damage can happen instantly. It is not even safe to look at the Sun with just the naked eye and even several pairs of sunglasses should not be used.

ORDER ECLIPSE ISSUE OF ASTRONOMY IRELAND MAGAZINE TODAY HERE

EU-certified safe ECLIPSE GLASSES are available from Astronomy Ireland. We have a limited quantity so please order them well before the eclipse so we can get them to you in time.

Glasses are €10 including postage.

You should keep these glasses after the eclipse for viewing giant ‘naked eye’ sunspots that appear from time to time (especially with a new solar maximum on its way). DO NOT look through binoculars or telescopes while wearing eclipse glasses as they give way too bright an image and may even damage the glasses and your eyesight too.

ECLIPSE MAGAZINE: order the magazine TODAY so you can read all about the eclipse and other safe ways to view it in plenty of time. There are lots more details and exact times to see the stages of the eclipse from several locations around Ireland. You can also sign up for a year’s subscription and you will then get future magazines showing all the photos sent in from around Ireland and loads of other things to see in the sky: HERE

We’ll post the magazine to you immediately but we will also email you the eclipse article pdf so you can read it before the eclipse takes place.