Second-ever partial solar eclipse of the year seen in Wiltshire

The second-ever partial solar eclipse of the year occurred on Tuesday, October 25, in Wiltshire, Southern England.

The astronomical phenomenon became visible in the UK at around 10:08 AM, peaked at 10:59 AM, and ended at approximately 11:51 AM. The eclipse was live-streamed by The Royal Observatory on their Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Stargazers from other parts of Europe, Northeast Africa, Mid East, and Western Asia could also view the celestial event.

The first partial solar eclipse of 2022 took place on April 30. Some astronomy fans may have felt gutted during that day since it could not be seen from the UK. Based on NASA's eclipse prediction calculator, the next solar eclipse that will be visible to those in the United Kingdom will be on March 29, 2025.

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes almost directly between the sun and the Earth. Because of the moon's placement, the morning star will appear to have a crescent-shaped figure during this short period of time.

This occurrence is the most common type among the four kinds of solar eclipses. Arranged according to rarity, the other three are Annular, Total, and Hybrid, with the last being the most infrequent. "Of all solar eclipses, about 28 percent are total; 35 percent are partial; 32 percent annular; and just 5 percent are hybrids," SpaceEdge Academy reports.

NASA advises never to look directly at the sun during any type of solar eclipse as the sun is dangerous and can damage your eyes. Using binoculars and telescopes are also not advisable. Safely watching a solar eclipse will require special protective eyewear or "eclipse glasses."

The solar eclipse is best viewed using a homemade pinhole camera. They cast a shadow on the ground through the small hole in the middle. When the moon blocks the sun, a coinciding shadow will show the projection on the ground.