The solar eclipse was supposed to plunge the UK into darkness, but many sky-watchers across the country were sadly left staring at totally grey skies.
While some lucky sky-watchers got to experience the full extent of the event as the moon crossed in front of the sun, covering up to 97% of its face, for everyone else, it was almost total anti-climax which once again saw Britain rueing its fickle weather.
Earlier, excitement was building - although most accepted the cloud was all anyone was actually going to see...
For those who did get a glimpse, one of the best vantage points was in South Gloucestershire, where amateur astronomer Ralph Wilkins described the "eerie" feeling as a chilly gloom descended and shadows sharpened.
Elsewhere there were reports of birds "going crazy" and flocking to trees, confused by the fading light.
For much of the UK, the eclipse revealed itself as an abnormal level of darkness at 9.30am in the morning while the sun remained hidden behind a blanket of cloud.
But there were pockets of clear skies over Wales, parts of the West Country and the Midlands, and eastern Scotland around Edinburgh.
Around the UK, the proportion of the sun covered by the moon increased towards the north, ranging from 84% in London to 89% in Manchester, 93% in Edinburgh and 97% in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles.
The latest satellite image from forecasters Meteogroup showed cloud in south east England cleared slowly.
In overcast London, the eclipse began at 8.24am, and reached its maximum extent at 9.31am. For observers in Edinburgh, it started at 8.30am and peaked at 9.35 am.
Visibility was poor in London, Eastbourne, Glasgow, Bristol and Sheffield, according to reporters.
Alice Hole (@AliceHole), an artist based in Helston, Cornwall, tweeted: "Eclipse at 9:03 from my homemade pinhole camera in Cornwall."
Meanwhile, in Accrington, Lancashire, Robert Heys (@RobHeys) tweeted: "In Accrington now, taken on an iPhone - brings back memories of a Cornwall trip in '99 with Mick Heys."
Sam Kelsall (@kelsall_s) from Birmingham posted a Vine on Twitter showing the view from inside a pinhole camera of the eclipse.
Coastguards at Ardrossan (@ArdrossanCRT) on the west coast of Scotland tweeted: "One of our team just managed to catch the Solar Eclipse through the cloud at social media HQ."
Meanwhile in Bath, chef and baker Richard Bertinet posted a picture to Instagram (@RichardBertinet) showing the eclipse through a tiny hole in the cloud cover.
Ways of viewing the solar eclipse
Solar Eclipse in Turkey's Usak(01 of24)
USAK, TURKEY - MARCH 20: A student of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School uses a x-ray photograph to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse in Usak, western of Turkey on March 20, 2015. (Photo by Soner Kilinc/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Rare Partial Solar Eclipse Is Viewed Around The UK(02 of24)
PENZANCE, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: Two men use welding masks to view the moon crossing the sun causing a partial eclipse at St Michael's Mount on March 20, 2015 near Penzance, England. People in the United Kingdom experienced a partial solar eclipse as the moon covered between 85-98 per cent of the sun. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Peter Macdiarmid via Getty Images)
Solar Eclipse(03 of24)
A woman views the solar eclipse of from Carlton Hill in Edinburgh, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
KOSOVO-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(04 of24)
ALTERNATIVE CROPA man uses a dental X-ray to watch a partial solar eclipse in Pristina on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / ARMEND NIMANI (Photo credit should read ARMEND NIMANI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ARMEND NIMANI via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(05 of24)
A boy has taped a special filter over his eye to watch a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Kassel, central Germany. A partial eclipse of varying degrees was visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / DPA / UWE ZUCCHI +++ GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read UWE ZUCCHI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:UWE ZUCCHI via Getty Images)
Solar Eclipse in Turkey's Usak(06 of24)
USAK, TURKEY - MARCH 20: A student of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School uses a welding goggles to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse in Usak, western of Turkey on March 20, 2015. (Photo by Soner Kilinc/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Serbia Europe Solar Eclipse(07 of24)
People use exposed X-ray films to observe a partial solar eclipse in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 20, 2015. Astronomy lovers and sky gazers in Serbia were treated to a clear blue sky as they observed a partial solar eclipse in Belgrade on Friday. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Serbia Europe Solar Eclipse(08 of24)
A man uses a piece of tinted glass to observe a solar eclipse in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 20, 2015. Astronomy lovers and sky gazers in Serbia were treated to a clear blue sky as they observed a solar eclipse in Belgrade on Friday. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bosnia Europe Solar Eclipse(09 of24)
A solar eclipse is seen through a dark glass plate in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Friday, March 20, 2015. Solar eclipse is darkening parts of Europe on Friday in a rare solar event that won't be repeated for more than a decade.(AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Ukraine Europe Solar Eclipse(10 of24)
A woman use a welders mask to watch the solar eclipse in Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, March 20, 2015. An eclipse is darkening parts of Europe on Friday in a rare solar event that won't be repeated for more than a decade. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SPAIN-ASTRONOMY-SOLAR-MOON-ECLIPSE(11 of24)
A man holds up a paper with the shadow of the a slotted spoon cast on it as the moon passes infront of the Earth's star marking a total eclipse, the only one this year, in Vigo, northwestern Spain on March 20, 2015. The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, located 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) from the North Pole, is along with the Faroe Islands the only place the total eclipse will be visible, assuring three minutes of total darkness when the moon totally blocks the sun. AFP PHOTO/ MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:MIGUEL RIOPA via Getty Images)
FRANCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(12 of24)
A boy uses a telescope to try to see the solar eclipse despite a cloudy sky on March 20, 2015 at Meudon observatory in Meudon, near Paris. All eyes were turned to the heavens early Friday for a solar eclipse offering spectacular views from selected airplane seats, European countries with clear skies and a remote Arctic archipelago. AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGET (Photo credit should read DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)
Solar Eclipse in Moscow(13 of24)
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MARCH 20: A woman uses a black CD to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse at Red Square in Moscow, Russia on March 20, 2015. (Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Solar Eclipse in Turkey's Usak(14 of24)
USAK, TURKEY - MARCH 20: A student of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School uses a x-ray photograph to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse in Usak, western of Turkey on March 20, 2015. (Photo by Soner Kilinc/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(15 of24)
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Cablecar workers on Zugspitze mountain use a welding mask to look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Philipp Guelland/Getty Images) (credit:Philipp Guelland via Getty Images)
FRANCE-SCIENCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(16 of24)
A woman uses protective glasses to watch a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 over Strasbourg, eastern France. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / FREDERICK FLORIN (Photo credit should read FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:FREDERICK FLORIN via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(17 of24)
A man watches a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in front of a planetarium in Berlin. A partial eclipse of varying degrees was visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / DPA / KAY NIETFELD +++ GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read KAY NIETFELD/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAY NIETFELD via Getty Images)
FRANCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(18 of24)
People use protective glasses to watch a solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Nice, southeastern France. All eyes were turned to the heavens early for a solar eclipse offering spectacular views from selected airplane seats, European countries with clear skies and a remote Arctic archipelago. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:VALERY HACHE via Getty Images)
Solar eclipse - Berlin(19 of24)
Armchair astronomers look at the solar eclipse at the planetarium inBerlin,Germany, 20 March 2015. Photo:KAYNIETFELD/dpa (credit:Kay Nietfeld/DPA)
Solar eclipse - Berlin(20 of24)
A man looks at the solar eclipse through handmade protective glasses at the planetarium inBerlin,Germany, 20 March 2015. Photo:KAYNIETFELD/dpa (credit:Kay Nietfeld/DPA)
Solar Eclipse(21 of24)
A member of the public uses a welding mask to watch a partial eclipse of the sun, at Stonehenge in Wiltshire. (credit:Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
Serbia Europe Solar Eclipse(22 of24)
A man uses a welding mask to observe a solar eclipse in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 20, 2015. Astronomy lovers and sky gazers in Serbia were treated to a clear blue sky as they observed a solar eclipse in Belgrade on Friday. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic) (credit:Marko Drobnjakovic/AP)
Germany Europe Solar Eclipse(23 of24)
A man uses self build protective shield as he watches a solar eclipse in Berlin, Friday, March 20, 2015. An eclipse is darkening parts of Europe on Friday in a rare solar event that won't be repeated for more than a decade. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (credit:Markus Schreiber/AP)
Solar Eclipse(24 of24)
A member of the public takes a picture on her iPad as she wears a welding mask to watch a partial eclipse of the sun, at Stonehenge in Wiltshire. (credit:Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
More photos...
Solar Eclipse 2015
(01 of40)
Solar Eclipse in Penzance, Cornwall, Britain (credit:Rex)
(02 of40)
PENZANCE, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: The moon crosses the sun causing a partial eclipse, seen here above St Michael's Mount on March 20, 2015 near Penzance, England. People in the United Kingdom experienced a partial solar eclipse today, as the moon covered between 85-98 per cent of the sun. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Peter Macdiarmid via Getty Images)
(03 of40)
People watch in darkness during the totality of a solar eclipse on as seen from a hill beside a hotel on the edge of the city overlooking Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(04 of40)
People watch in darkness during the totality of a solar eclipse on as seen from a hill beside a hotel on the edge of the city overlooking Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(05 of40)
Visitors try on their solar glasses in preparation to view the solar eclipse in Regent's Park in London, Friday, March 20, 2015. Unfortunately due to heavy cloud cover, the eclipse was not visible in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(06 of40)
An astronomer sets up equipment in preparation to view the solar eclipse in Regent's Park in London, Friday, March 20, 2015. Unfortunately due to heavy cloud cover, the eclipse was not visible in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(07 of40)
A dog is given protective glasses by its owner prior to the solar eclipse in Regent's Park in London, Friday, March 20, 2015. Unfortunately due to heavy cloud cover, the eclipse was not visible in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(08 of40)
A partial solar eclipse of the sun is visible in Plymouth, south-west England on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICK (Photo credit should read GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:GEOFF CADDICK via Getty Images)
(09 of40)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: Students from Saint Ursula's Covent Secondary School in Greenwich pose for a photograph wearing protective glasses at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on March 20, 2015 in London, England. Hundreds of people gathered outside The Royal Observatory Greenwich hoping see a near total solar eclipse. The solar eclipse, which occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, started at 08:24 GMT and continues until 10:41 GMT, with the maximum obscuration of the Sun happening at 09:31 GMT. The last significant solar eclipse visible from the UK was on 11 August, 1999. (Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images) (credit:Rob Stothard via Getty Images)
(10 of40)
NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: A rare partial solar eclipse is seen over Northamptonshire on March 20, 2015 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Clive Mason via Getty Images)
(11 of40)
A partial solar eclipse of the sun is visible next to the iconic Liver Bird on top of the Liver Building in Liverpool, north-west England on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PAUL ELLIS via Getty Images)
(12 of40)
The eclipse of the sun from Plymouth, Devon, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Steve Parsons/PA Wire)
(13 of40)
People watch an eclipse of the sun outside the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, in Nottingham, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Simon Cooper/PA Wire)
(14 of40)
An eclipse of the sun over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
(15 of40)
An eclipse of the sun over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
(16 of40)
An eclipse of the sun over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
(17 of40)
Engineers monitor the computer screens at the 50 Hertz Transmission Control Center in Neuenhagen, Germany, 30 March 2015. The transmission provider is preparing to compensate the expected power loss during the partial solar eclipse. Photo: Bernd Settnik/dpa (credit:Bernd Settnik/DPA)
(18 of40)
Mike Garratt a member of the Mid Kent Astronomical Society sets up his equipment beneath the cloud covered sky on the coast in Grain, Kent, during the eclipse. (credit:Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)
(19 of40)
People watch as an eclipse of the sun begins over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
(20 of40)
A homemade pin hole camera at Clifton Observatory in Bristol, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Claire Hayhurst/PA Wire)
(21 of40)
Local astronomer Barry Chuter looking through his lens in cloudy Eastbourne East Sussex, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Tom Pugh/PA Wire)
(22 of40)
Cloud covers an eclipse of the sun from Plymouth in Devon, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Steve Parsons/PA Wire)
(23 of40)
An eclipse of the sun over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
(24 of40)
An eclipse of the sun from Plymouth in Devon, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Steve Parsons/PA Wire)
(25 of40)
A homemade pin hole camera at Clifton Observatory in Bristol, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Claire Hayhurst/PA Wire)
(26 of40)
An eclipse of the sun from Plymouth in Devon, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Steve Parsons/PA Wire)
(27 of40)
Members of the Mid Kent Astronomical Society, Arthur Fentamen (left) Mike Garratt and Bob Tollervey (right) view the cloud covered sky on the coast in Grain, Kent, during the eclipse. (credit:Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)
(28 of40)
People use blankets to keep warm as they wait for the solar eclipse (credit:Tahira Mirza)
(29 of40)
A crowd gathers at Primrose Hill (credit:Tahira Mirza)
(30 of40)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
(31 of40)
An eclipse of the sun from Carlton Hill in Edinburgh, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
(32 of40)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED People watch as an eclipse of the sun begins over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
(33 of40)
Students Greg Robertson, 19, and Sam Firminger, 20, wait for the eclipse at Clifton Observatory in Bristol. (credit:Claire Hayhurst/PA Wire)
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An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
(35 of40)
An eclipse of the sun begins over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
(36 of40)
An eclipse of the sun begins over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
(37 of40)
People wait for the start of a total solar eclipse from a hill beside a hotel overlooking the sea and Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(38 of40)
People wait for the start of a total solar eclipse on a hill beside a hotel overlooking the sea and Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(39 of40)
A visitor waits for the start of a total solar eclipse on a hill beside a hotel overlooking Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(40 of40)
Crowds gather at Primrose Hill in London (credit:Tahira Mirza)
Ralph Wilkins, from the London-based Baker Street Irregular Astronomers, who joined a group of sky-watchers outside a school in Hambrook, South Gloucestershire, to witness the eclipse, said: "The sky started clearing just after first contact and we were able to watch the moon glide in front of the sun.
"It was a unique experience - eerie is the right word for it. The shadows started to sharpen and everything began to develop this yellowish hue.
"Whenever there's a solar eclipse in the UK you tend to get cloud, so to be treated to clear skies was really wonderful. It really was beautiful. We were all thrilled."
This time-lapse video showed how it unfolded.
US space agency Nasa posted an animated map on Twitter showing areas that will be affected by the eclipse in Europe, Africa and Asia this morning.
Media and enthusiasts gathered at places such as Stonehenge and the Isle of Lewis to catch a glimpse of the eclipse but were disappointed by the cloud cover obstructing the view.
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Solar Eclipse around Europe
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(01 of45)
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Skiers on Zugspitze mountain use pieces of a survival blanket to look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Philipp Guelland/Getty Images) (credit:Philipp Guelland via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(02 of45)
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Specators on Zugspitze mountain are silhouetted against the sun as they look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Philipp Guelland/Getty Images) (credit:Philipp Guelland via Getty Images)
Rare Partial Solar Eclipse Is Viewed Around The UK(03 of45)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 20: Children play with homemade eye protection at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on March 20, 2015 in London, England. Hundreds of people gathered outside The Royal Observatory Greenwich today hoping to see a partial solar eclipse. The solar eclipse, which occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, started at 08:24 GMT and continued until 10:41 GMT, with the maximum obscuration of the Sun happening at 09:31 GMT. The last significant solar eclipse visible from the UK was on 11 August, 1999. (Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images) (credit:Rob Stothard via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(04 of45)
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - MARCH 20: People on Zugspitze mountain use special glasses to look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Philipp Guelland/Getty Images) (credit:Philipp Guelland via Getty Images)
POLAND-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(05 of45)
A partial solar eclipse can be seen in the sky over Wolomin near Warsaw on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / JANEK SKARZYNSKI (Photo credit should read JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JANEK SKARZYNSKI via Getty Images)
POLAND-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(06 of45)
A woman tries to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse in Wolomin near Warsaw on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / JANEK SKARZYNSKI (Photo credit should read JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JANEK SKARZYNSKI via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SCIENCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(07 of45)
People use protective glasses on their dog as they watch a partial solar eclipse at the Pier Head in Liverpool, north-west England, on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PAUL ELLIS via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SCIENCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(08 of45)
A partial solar eclipse of the sun is visible in Plymouth, south-west England on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICK (Photo credit should read GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:GEOFF CADDICK via Getty Images)
Rare Partial Solar Eclipse Is Viewed Around The UK(09 of45)
NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: A rare partial solar eclipse is seen over Northamptonshire on March 20, 2015 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Clive Mason via Getty Images)
Rare Partial Solar Eclipse Is Viewed Around The UK(10 of45)
NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: A rare partial solar eclipse is seen over Northamptonshire on March 20, 2015 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Clive Mason via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SCIENCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(11 of45)
A partial solar eclipse of the sun is visible next to the iconic Liver Bird on top of the Liver Building in Liverpool, north-west England on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PAUL ELLIS via Getty Images)
Rare Partial Solar Eclipse Is Viewed Around The UK(12 of45)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 20: Students from Saint Ursula's Covent Secondary School in Greenwich pose for a photograph wearing protective glasses at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on March 20, 2015 in London, England. Hundreds of people gathered outside The Royal Observatory Greenwich hoping see a near total solar eclipse. The solar eclipse, which occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, started at 08:24 GMT and continues until 10:41 GMT, with the maximum obscuration of the Sun happening at 09:31 GMT. The last significant solar eclipse visible from the UK was on 11 August, 1999. (Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images) (credit:Rob Stothard via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SCIENCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(13 of45)
A partial solar eclipse of the sun is visible next to the iconic Liver Bird on top of the Liver Building in Liverpool, north-west England on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PAUL ELLIS via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(14 of45)
MUNICH, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Students and teachers of the Oskar-von-Miller Highscool Munich use special glasses to look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Munich, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) (credit:Alexander Hassenstein via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(15 of45)
MUNICH, GERMANY - MARCH 20: People use special glasses to look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Munich, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) (credit:Alexander Hassenstein via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(16 of45)
People use protective glasses as they gather in front of a planetarium in Berlin to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / STEFFI LOOS (Photo credit should read STEFFI LOOS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:STEFFI LOOS via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(17 of45)
People use protective glasses as they gather in front of a planetarium in Berlin to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / STEFFI LOOS (Photo credit should read STEFFI LOOS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:STEFFI LOOS via Getty Images)
FRANCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(18 of45)
People use protective glasses to watch a solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Toulouse. All eyes were on the skies early for a solar eclipse set to offer spectacular views, from selected airplane seats, European countries with the right weather and a remote Arctic archipelago. AFP PHOTO/REMY GABALDA (Photo credit should read REMY GABALDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:REMY GABALDA via Getty Images)
FRANCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(19 of45)
People use protective glasses to watch a solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Toulouse. All eyes were on the skies early for a solar eclipse set to offer spectacular views, from selected airplane seats, European countries with the right weather and a remote Arctic archipelago. AFP PHOTO/REMY GABALDA (Photo credit should read REMY GABALDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:REMY GABALDA via Getty Images)
FRANCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(20 of45)
A man uses protective glasses to watch a solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Toulouse. All eyes were on the skies early for a solar eclipse set to offer spectacular views, from selected airplane seats, European countries with the right weather and a remote Arctic archipelago. AFP PHOTO/REMY GABALDA (Photo credit should read REMY GABALDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:REMY GABALDA via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(21 of45)
A man and a woman use protective glasses to catch a glimpse of a solar eclipse as they stand in front of the observatory's cupola on the roof of the university of applied sciences in Kiel, northern Germany, on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / DPA / CARSTEN REHDER +++ GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read CARSTEN REHDER/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:CARSTEN REHDER via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(22 of45)
MUNICH, GERMANY - MARCH 20: A school class on Marienplatz uses special glasses to look into the sky at a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Munich, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images) (credit:Joerg Koch via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(23 of45)
A partial solar eclipse can be seen behind the cross on the spire of Kloster Neuzelle monastery in Neuzelle, eastern Germany, on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / DPA / PATRICK PLEUL +++ GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read PATRICK PLEUL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PATRICK PLEUL via Getty Images)
GERMANY-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(24 of45)
A partial solar eclipse can be seen behind the cross on the spire of Kloster Neuzelle monastery in Neuzelle, eastern Germany, on March 20, 2015. A partial eclipse of varying degrees is visible, depending on weather conditions, across most of Europe, northern Africa, northwest Asia and the Middle East, before finishing its show close to the North Pole. AFP PHOTO / DPA / PATRICK PLEUL +++ GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read PATRICK PLEUL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PATRICK PLEUL via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-SCIENCE-ASTRONOMY-ECLIPSE(25 of45)
A partial solar eclipse of the sun is visible in Plymouth, south-west England on March 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICK (Photo credit should read GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:GEOFF CADDICK via Getty Images)
Partial Solar Eclipse Over Central Europe(26 of45)
MUNICH, GERMANY - MARCH 20: The sun is pictured during a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Muncih, Germany. Over Central Europe the moon was scheduled to cover approximately 75% of the sun for a short period starting at approximately 9:30am. The next solar eclipse will not occur until 2021. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) (credit:Alexander Hassenstein via Getty Images)
Solar Eclipse(27 of45)
Students Greg Robertson, 19, and Sam Firminger, 20, wait for the eclipse at Clifton Observatory in Bristol. (credit:Claire Hayhurst/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(28 of45)
File photo dated 01/08/08 of a woman looking at a partial eclipse of the sun through special glasses, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(29 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(30 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(31 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Plymouth in Devon, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Steve Parsons/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(32 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(33 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(34 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(35 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over Northumberland, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(36 of45)
An eclipse of the sun begins over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(37 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED The sun over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
Solar Eclipse(38 of45)
EDS NOTE: SOLAR FILTER HAS BEEN USED An eclipse of the sun begins over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
Faeroes Europe Solar Eclipse(39 of45)
People wait for the start of a total solar eclipse from a hill beside a hotel overlooking the sea and Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:Matt Dunham/AP)
Faeroes Europe Solar Eclipse(40 of45)
A visitor waits for the start of a total solar eclipse on a hill beside a hotel overlooking Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:Matt Dunham/AP)
Faeroes Europe Solar Eclipse(41 of45)
Italian visitors wait for the start of a total solar eclipse on a hill beside a hotel overlooking the sea and Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:Matt Dunham/AP)
Faeroes Europe Solar Eclipse(42 of45)
People wait for the start of a total solar eclipse on a hill beside a hotel overlooking the sea and Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:Matt Dunham/AP)
Faeroes Europe Solar Eclipse(43 of45)
People wait for the start of a total solar eclipse from a hill beside a hotel overlooking the sea and Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Friday, March 20, 2015. For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (credit:Matt Dunham/AP)
Solar Eclipse(44 of45)
The sun rises over the Eden Project near St Austell in Cornwall, as a near-total eclipse of the sun is set to thrill or disappoint millions today, depending on luck and the fickle British weather. (credit:Ben Birchall/PA Wire)
Germany Europe Solar Eclipse(45 of45)
A little boy poses for a photograph and looks up to the sun wearing protective goggles in Berlin, Germany, Friday, March 20, 2015 prior to the start of the partial solar eclipse. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) (credit:Michael Sohn/AP)