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Scotland – and its northern isles – are expected to be the best locations in the UK to view the next solar eclipse, which takes place next week.

The partial solar eclipse will be visible shortly after 10am on June 10 and observers in some parts of the UK should be able to see up to a third of the sun covered by the moon. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the earth and the sun, causing the moon to cast its shadow over the earth. 

Keen astronomers are expected to head for locations which are quiet and remote to watch the event and according to the BBC’s Sky at Night Magazine, Northwest Scotland under clear skies will give the best views from mainland Scotland, with Lochinver having maximum obscuration of 36.8%, Inverness 35% and in other parts of Scotland a 32% eclipsed Sun will be possible, compared to 30% in Belfast and only 20% in London. 

Shetland, however, is expected to get the best out of the eclipse, with 39% obscuration. Unst-based charity, Wild Skies Shetland, aims to enhance enjoyment of Unst’s beautiful and varied skies, including the Northern Lights, Simmer Dim, storms, dark skies and other wonders. They organise a variety of sky-related events and their ultimate aim is to construct sky-watching shelters in Unst. 

As the UK’s most northerly island, July days on Unst have, on average, 19 hours of daylight, making it the perfect place to watch the eclipse. The charity is encouraging people to get out and find somewhere to watch the event as well as selling special eclipse packs to mark the occasion.

Jane Macaulay, secretary at Wild Skies Shetland, said:

“Viewing the eclipse directly with the naked eye can be hazardous, even if it’s partially covered by the moon. Wild Skies Shetland has put together an eclipse pack, available online through wildskiesshetland.com which contains two pairs of safe eclipse watching glasses, instructions on how to build your own pinhole camera out of a cardboard box, as well as some history of a Shetland eclipse,‘recipes’ and competitions. 

“Whatever the season in Shetland, it is the ideal location for watching the skies because the long, dark Shetland winter also offers visitors the chance to enjoy our stunning dark skies in Unst. Allow plenty of time, away from the lights of the city, to marvel at the northern lights, the stars and the milky way. 

“A Sky Trail, being developed by Wild Skies Shetland, will be available to visit from the autumn of 2021 and will be open all the year round.”

Steve Mathieson, VisitScotland Development Manager in Shetland, said:

“Before Covid-19, we were seeing an increase in the popularity of astro tourism – the interest of tourists in space-related activities such as dark sky observation, astronomy, astro-photography and space technology. Visitor interest in dark skies and astro tourism has prompted many destinations and locations to make the most of the natural assets that clear night skies have to offer and it’s great to see Shetland also seizing these opportunities.

“Unst is also the location for Shetland Space Centre, who plan to build and operate a satellite launch site and ground station, with the first launch scheduled for next May. This is expected to attract visitors and be a major boost to the local and Scottish economy, with the creation of many jobs as well as new facilities and opportunities.”

Scotland has some of the largest expanses of dark sky in Europe, particularly in the Highlands and islands, away from large centres of urban settlement, making it perfect for stargazing. It is also home to Europe’s second Dark Sky Park, the first of its kind in the UK, as well a myriad of Dark Sky Discovery Sites. These are places which experience low or practically non-existent levels of light pollution, revealing ink-black skies filled with dazzling stars.

On a clear night, constellations of stars, planets, the Milky Way galaxy and the Northern Lights are often visible. This presents an opportunity for tourism businesses to promote the health benefits of Scotland through the means of the peace and tranquillity it offers. It also offers opportunities for tourism businesses to host events based around health and wellbeing products or practices to generate collaborative partnerships with non-traditional tourism businesses.

An insight paper produced by VisitScotland listed wellness as a tourism trend proving popular amongst visitors. Researchers found that star bathing - a mindfulness activity similar in effect to forest bathing, where we gaze up at the stars generates a sense of awe promoting altruism and positive social behaviour - puts our individual lives in perspective by helping realise that there is something much bigger than yourself in the universe.

For more information on dark skies in Scotland – including a stargazing toolkit - visit https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/landscapes-nature/dark-sky-parks-sites/

*Observing the sun directly can cause serious damage to the eyes, so wear eclipse glasses that allow you to look at the sun safely, or indirectly using a projection device such as a pinhole camera. 

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Shetland best place to view partial eclipse

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