On March 20 there will be a total solar eclipse, the last of its kind for the next 11 years.
This eclipse will be the most astonishing natural and astronomical event expected in March of this year. The total solar eclipse will be visible from the Faroe Islands, located in the North Atlantic Ocean - between Scotland and Iceland.
The further up north a person is in Europe, the greater the eclipse visible will be. In Paris the eclipse will last from 9:10 to 11:50 local time. The sun will be 66% eclipsed in Corsica and 85% in Dunkirk.
In Paris the eclipse will be at 83% at 10:30 local time. Over London the sun will be 84% covered and over Scotland - 94%.
The phenomenon may be a welcome sight for astronomical event enthusiasts but is causing concern among the French Department of Energy, states the news site Atlantico. This is the biggest solar eclipse that we will witness since 1999.
Even though the phenomenon will be visible with the naked eye, astronomers advise us to use a dark glass to view it. We can make a smoked glass at home using a candle. One should not stare directly at the sun without a protective filter, even during an eclipse.
Astronomers will be airing the eclipse live, viewed from 360°. To do this, scientists intend to send cameras and mobile devices in the sky above the Faroe Islands.
One of the cameras will be mounted on a balloon that will rise to an altitude of 164 000 feet (50 km) to film the event.
This will allow for a clearer picture since the meteorological conditions in March in that part of Europe are often not suitable for observation from the Earth's surface.
