The first partial solar eclipse of 2025 will take place this weekend, passing over the UK and parts of the US, Europe and Africa. On Saturday, 29 March, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun for roughly two hours, beginning shortly after 10am GMT. For viewers in the UK, around a third of the Sun will be covered, with those in the south of England seeing around 30 per cent coverage, and people in northern Scotland and Northern Ireland witnessing a 40 per cent partial solar eclipse .
The best views of the celestial phenomenon will be in the north east of North America, as the Moon will cover more than 90 per cent of the Sun. A map produced by TimeandDate reveals that large parts of Russia and North Africa will see a very small part of the Sun covered during the partial solar eclipse, with a tiny sliver of the Sun covered in South America. Despite the Sun being partially covered, astronomers have warned hopeful sky gazers to use appropriate equipment to view the solar eclipse in order to avoid any eyesight damage.
“It’s really important to stress that even though a third of the Sun’s light is gone – it's covered by the Moon at its peak – it's still really dangerous to look at," said Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director of the Royal Astronomical Society. "You mustn't look at it with the naked eye, you mustn't look at it with a telescope – unless you have the right kind of filters." Home-made contraptions, such as two pieces of paper fashioned into a projector .
