Solar eclipse and the island of Ireland: The weather forecast and all you need to know
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- A deep partial solar eclipse will obscure more than 90% of the sun across Ireland on Wednesday evening, beginning around 18:10 BST — the largest visible from the island until September 2090.
- Skellig Michael will see the deepest coverage at approximately 98.01%, with Cork at 96.43%, Derry at 93.77%, and Belfast at 93.05%, according to location-specific timing tables in the source.
- Dr Rok Nežič of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium warned viewers not to look directly at the sun, noting the retina has no pain receptors so eye damage goes unnoticed; certified eclipse glasses are required but must not be used with binoculars or telescopes.
- Clouds may spoil viewing across parts of Northern Ireland, with breaks expected in south Antrim, Belfast, Co Down, and parts of Armagh, while Dublin, Rosslare, and Cork are likely to have ideal clear skies.
- The Perseid meteor shower peaks overnight into Thursday, with a new moon ensuring no lunar interference — under ideal conditions, up to 100 meteors per hour could be visible from dark locations away from streetlights.
- Ryan Milligan, an astrophysics lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, is traveling to Burgos, Spain for his 13th eclipse, where totality is expected to last one minute 43 seconds.
- David Moore, Editor of Astronomy Ireland Magazine, noted this is the first total eclipse visible from western Europe since 1999, and no total eclipse has been seen on Irish soil since 1724.
Why it matters: Anyone alive in Ireland today is unlikely to see a total solar eclipse on home soil in their lifetime — the next one isn't due until September 2090, making this Wednesday's deep partial eclipse the closest celestial spectacle an entire generation of Irish skywatchers will witness at home.
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