Scotland to See 95% Solar Eclipse Wednesday
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- Scotland will see up to 95% of the Sun obscured in the most dramatic partial solar eclipse visible from the UK since August 1999, with the event lasting about two hours on Wednesday.
- Prof Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, said Scotland's later sunset means the Sun will sit higher in the sky during the eclipse than in England, giving Scots a clearer view of the western horizon.
- BBC Weather presenter Joy Dunlop said southern Scotland has the most optimal viewing conditions with dry, largely clear skies, while the north west Highlands, Western and Northern Isles will remain cloudy with spells of rain and "very limited or no visibility."
- The Whitelee Windfarm Visitor Centre at Eaglesham, hosting one of the biggest eclipse events, warned on Facebook that the weather is "not looking great" and is offering refunds to those who no longer want to attend.
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported about 70 cases of vision problems after the 1999 total solar eclipse, with roughly 40% of those affected having looked at the Sun for less than a minute.
- Scotland's next total solar eclipse won't occur until 23 September 2090, with Heymans noting anyone wanting to experience a full total eclipse this week will have to leave the UK.
- Community events are planned at over a dozen Scottish locations, including Beirhope Farm in the Scottish Borders, Edinburgh's Calton Hill, and the Jim Savage-Lowden Observatory in Culloden, where visitors can also stay for the Perseids meteor shower.
Why it matters: Scotland won't see a total solar eclipse until 23 September 2090, making this Wednesday's 95% obscuration a once-in-a-lifetime draw for venues across the country — dozens are hosting gatherings, though weather concerns have already prompted one major event at Whitelee Windfarm to offer refunds.
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