A “ring of fire” solar eclipse will be partially visible from the entirety of Portugal tomorrow (June 10) during the country’s Portugal Day national holiday.
An annular solar eclipse, or a “ring of fire” solar eclipse as it is commonly known, occurs when the moon moves in front of the sun but does not cover it completely.
According to the Lisbon Astronomical Observatory (OAL), the eclipse will be partially visible in Portugal as the moon will only cover between 4% to 10% of the sun’s disk in mainland Portugal, and about 30% in the Azores and 6% in Madeira.
While there won’t be a significant change in brightness, the partial eclipse will be “easily noticeable when looking at the sun” – just make sure you are wearing adequate eye protection.
In the Algarvian capital of Faro, the eclipse will be visible from 9.51am and most noticeable at 10.29am before fading at 11.10am. In Lisbon, the eclipse will begin at 9.47am, with its peak expected at 10.32am before eventually ending at 11.21am.
“Be cautious, make sure you are aware of all the dangers and safe ways to observe the sun and inform those who are unaware,” the observatory stresses.
Looking at the sun with the naked eye is dangerous and could cause lasting damage. The safest option is to use solar viewing glasses, special eyewear designed to view the sun directly.
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