In Warsaw, the eclipse will last from 11:50 to 13:06 local time, reaching its maximum at 12:28, when the Moon will obscure 15.6% of the Sun’s disk.
“Solar eclipses observed from Earth are unique in our Solar System,” said Observatory Director Professor Tomasz Bulik, noting that the Sun and Moon appear almost the same size from Earth due to their relative distances.
Cosmic geometry and future observations
Experts at the Observatory emphasize that such precise alignment occurs only on Earth, and not even Saturn—with a record 274 known moons—experiences a comparably exact eclipse. Meanwhile, the Moon continues to recede from Earth by 3.78 cm each year, meaning total solar eclipses will cease to occur in roughly 600 million years.
Bulik warned observers never to look directly at the Sun without proper protection.
“Even with special mylar-filter glasses, do not stare at the Sun continuously. Under no circumstances should you look at the Sun through binoculars or a camera lens without a solar filter,” he said.
Public viewing event
The University of Warsaw’s Astronomical Observatory will host a viewing outside its headquarters on Aleje Ujazdowskie 4, providing telescopes and safety-filter glasses.
Experts will be on hand to guide attendees, though the event will be canceled in the event of poor weather.
A total solar eclipse visible in parts of Europe will next occur on August 12, 2026, and can be observed from Iceland, Greenland, Portugal, and Spain.
(jh)
Source: PAP