When does the solar eclipse happen in the UK? In London, people were already making their way up to the higher spots of Hampstead Heath as it was about to begin there. Across western Europe, tens of millions were gathering along the path of totality.
Martin in London was practising the use of a colander ahead of the big moment. Nasa had a guide on how to watch the eclipse through the colander, not on your head.
Hampstead Heath in north London
People in London were heading for the higher ground of Hampstead Heath in north London as the eclipse approached. The live moment in the UK was part of a wider scene across western Europe, where crowds were already in place before the eclipse began.
Nicki said she spent some savings on a 24 hour trip to Mallorca after deciding last week to chance seeing the eclipse. In her email from Mallorca, she wrote, “We arrived at 3pm. We leave tomorrow at 4pm. Worth every penny!”
Nicki in Mallorca
Nicki also described a “last minute change of hotel and sides arrangements” that left the group sitting on “a rocky outcrop at the southwestern end of Playa to Palma.” She added that “the distant mountains may mean a very slightly impinged view of the sun but who cares…? It’s beautiful, it’s fun, and the ice cold beer tasted divine!”
Teresa drove to L’ampolla in Spain with her husband, daughter and dog specifically to see the eclipse. She said she was “currently at the town’s viewing spot with hundreds of people looking forward to a great show.”
Teresa in L’ampolla
The scene left one practical point unresolved for people searching in the UK: the source does not give the exact time the solar eclipse would happen there. For readers in London, the useful guide was where to watch and how to watch safely before the eclipse began.
