Get out those eclipse glasses, and don’t look directly at the sun! The Netherlands is about to experience a partial eclipse later this morning.
The eclipse is set to begin at exactly 11:08 AM this morning, so if you’re sitting in an important meeting and feel like Godzilla has just stood in front of the sun, don’t panic.
Spooky vibes — but not too spooky
In fact, it won’t be too terrifying. From the Netherlands, about 22% of the sun will be covered, making it look more like someone just taken a bite out of the star, reports the NOS.
Sounds like the perfect warm-up to the spooky season. 😲
Peaks at 12 PM
The peak of the eclipse will occur at 12:05 PM. If you look closely, you should see that the left upper edge of the sun will be totally covered by the moon. 🌑
The eclipse will then end at 1:03 PM.
This is the first time there has been a partial eclipse since last summer. Usually, when there is a partial eclipse in some parts of the world, there will be a total eclipse somewhere else, though this is not the case this time around.
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In fact, we’ll actually be waiting a good while before we see this phenomenon again!
The next time there will be a partial eclipse in the Netherlands will be in March 2025 — so get yourself out into the streets today and have a look before it’s too late! 🔭
Eclipse glasses available in certain places
You’ve got a casual pair of eclipse glasses, right? Well, if not, some places, such as the Utrecht Museum and Sonnenborgh observatory, will have glasses available for visitors to watch and enjoy the eclipse.
This is an exciting day also for children who are off school this week, as they’ll get the chance to peak at the eclipse through a special solar telescope.
But, do be sure to use eclipse glasses or binoculars with the image projected onto a piece of paper, as even with a partial eclipse, staring directly at the sun can severely damage your eyes, physicist and observatory volunteer Rianne Plantenga tells the NOS.
And, no, your sunglasses aren’t enough to protect you! 😎
No glasses? No problem.
Another way to watch without damaging your ever-so-important eyes is to watch through a small hole in a piece of cardboard, and project the image of the sun onto a white sheet of paper about two feet behind it.
Will you be watching the eclipse today? Tell us in the comments below! 👇