A partial solar eclipse will be visible in Belgium between 11.09AM and 1PM. At its height, around noon, the moon will cover around 30% of the sun.
Weather forecasters are predicting clearer weather around noon. So, it should be possible for you to admire the eclipse but remember never to look straight at the sun unless you are wearing eclipse glasses.
“If you look straight into the sun without special glasses, your eyes will be burned like a steak and you could go blind” warns the VRT weatherman.
Even when you admire the eclipse using a telescope or binoculars a special filter is required to give protection. Using eclipse glasses to look through a telescope isn’t sufficient. Sunglasses won’t sort it either and urban myths that you can use a DVD or CD are what they are myths and untrue.
Astronomer Philippe Mollet says you can safely project the image onto a piece of cardboard or paper using a colander. The sunlight will pass through the colander and appear on the paper. When the moon passes in front of the sun you will notice this.
Astronomers suggest the phenomenon will resemble the appearance of a giant Pacman in the skies. The eclipse should be visible everywhere on earth where the moon can be seen. In Central Russia the moon will eclipse 82% of the sun.
Solar eclipses occur frequently but are often not visible here because it’s night or cloudy.
The following solar eclipse visible in Belgium is scheduled for 29 March 2025 when a quarter of the sun will be covered. Look forward to 12 August 2026 when in Belgium 90% of the sun will be eclipsed. In northern Spain and Portugal the eclipse will be total.
The next total eclipse visible in Belgium is heading our way on 25 May 2142. So hang in there.