A partial eclipse of the sun will be visible in France this Saturday at midday-Liberation

The sun has an appointment with the moon, which will hide a bit of the star this Saturday, March 29, when of a solar eclipse Partial, the seventeenth of the 21st century and the first since October 2022. In mainland France, it will be visible between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and between 10 to 30 % of the surface of the star will be hidden according to the regions.

An eclipse of sun occurs when the sun, the moon and the earth are aligned in this order. When the alignment is almost perfect, the shadow cone of the moon affects the surface of the earth and obstructs the entire solar disc: the eclipse is total.

This time, “The alignment is not perfect enough for the shadow cone touches the earth’s surface. It remains in space, which means that there will be nowhere and at any time of total eclipse ”explains Florent Deleflie, astronomer at the Paris-PSL Observatory, responsible for France for the calculation of ephemeris.

With the naked eye, there will be no decrease in brightness. But, if the sky is cleared, it will still be possible to enjoy the show, provided you have adapted equipment to protect your eyes.

Intense sunlight can indeed cause eye burns and cause irremediable lesions. It is essential to get special eclipse glasses and check that they are in perfect condition. « The slightest defect on the surface of the glasses, if they are not new, even a microscopic hole, can cause burns of the eye »warns the astronomer.

Another possibility is to go to an astronomy association or an observation center, which organize animations to admire it using magnifying instruments with suitable filters. And observe in passing stains and solar protuberances.

The eclipse will reach its maximum at 11:47 am above northeast Canada and Greenland. This is where the eclipse will be the most spectacular, covering 90 % of the apparent surface of the sun.

This solar eclipse comes a fortnight after a total moon eclipse, which had made « blush » Our natural satellite. What is « Often the case » Because the moon did in the interval « A U-turn around the earth, in a way reversing the configuration », underlines Florent Deleflie.

On August 12, 2026, a total eclipse of the Sun, the entire area of ​​which will not cross hexagon will occur, but which will give rise to an obscuration of the solar disc of 92 % seen from Paris and 96 % seen from Marseille.