90% of Sun to Be Eclipsed Across Ireland Wednesday
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- Ireland will see more than 90% of the sun obscured during a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday evening, the largest solar eclipse visible from the island until September 2090.
- Skellig Michael will see the deepest coverage at approximately 98.01%, followed by Cork at 96.43%, Dublin at 93.99%, and Belfast at 93.05%, with the event running roughly 18:09 to 20:09 depending on location.
- Irish skywatchers abroad, mainly in Spain, will witness a total solar eclipse — the first total eclipse visible from western Europe since 1999.
- Dr Rok Nežič of Armagh Observatory warned viewers never to look directly at the sun, noting the retina has no pain receptors so eye damage can occur without awareness.
- Astronomers recommend certified eclipse glasses, pinhole projectors, cereal-box viewers, or even a kitchen colander, and cautioned against pointing unfiltered smartphones or cameras at the sun.
- The Perseid meteor shower peaks hours later overnight into Thursday, with a new moon ensuring dark skies and up to 100 meteors per hour visible under ideal conditions.
- David Moore of Astronomy Ireland noted a lunar eclipse will also be visible in two weeks, calling August 'an incredible month' for celestial events.
Why it matters: Ireland's last total solar eclipse was in 1724 and the next won't arrive until September 2090, making this Wednesday's 93–98% partial the closest any living Irish skywatcher will see. For those traveling to Spain, the same week delivers the first total eclipse over western Europe since 1999 — with the Perseid meteor shower peaking hours after the eclipse for a rare celestial double-header.
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