Heppenheim/Offenbach (dpa) – On Tuesday, a rare sky phenomenon was shown to onlookers, where the weather cooperated and the clouds did not obscure the view. During a partial solar eclipse, many curious people can watch with special glasses or filters as the moon moves in front of the star at the center of our solar system.
“You could see it south of the Danube. It was clear there,” said a spokesman for the German weather service in Offenbach. There was also a clear view south of Stuttgart to Lake Constance. Elsewhere, one had to hope for gaps in the clouds.
The moon moved in front of the sun just after 11 a.m. and covered it by about 20 to more than 30 percent, depending on the location. The maximum was exceeded shortly after noon. The last partial solar eclipse from Central Europe was visible in June of last year, and the next eclipse will be visible here on March 29, 2025, according to the Friends of the Stars Society.
According to a survey by YouGov, 63 percent of those surveyed said they would monitor the phenomenon if the weather cooperated. 30 percent were not interested and seven percent did not give an answer.
A solar eclipse is a rare event because several factors must combine to occur. According to Friends of the Stars, it can only happen at the new moon and when the moon is exactly between the earth and the sun. Because of the tilt of the Moon’s orbit, it usually passes above or below the Sun. There is a maximum of two to four solar eclipses per year somewhere on Earth.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 221025-99-255957 / 2
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