Partial solar eclipse to be visible in Manchester

If the weather cooperates, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in Manchester around noon on Saturday, October 14. Photo credit: Riyaz Ahamed/public domain image.

by Sara Swanson

On Saturday, October 14, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in Manchester! While not a complete solar eclipse this time, there will still be a noticeable amount of the sun covered!

At 11:45am, the eclipse will begin, with coverage as complete as we will witness it (with about 36% of the sun covered by the moon) at 1:03pm. The coverage will then begin to wane and the sun will appear normal again by 2:25pm. 

The sun is not safe to look at during an eclipse (just like it is not safe to look at under normal circumstances) and looking at the sun for more than a second or two can cause permanent retinal damage. Regular sunglasses are not enough to protect your eyes if you look at the sun during an eclipse.

Instead of looking at the sun, you can safely view the eclipse by building a simple pin-hole projector. Poke a 5mm hole in an index card or piece of card stock. Hold the card 3 or 4 feet above the ground in the direct sunlight. A small image of the eclipse will be projected on the ground.

For a total solar eclipse viewing experience in the United States, you will need to travel to Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, or Texas. While that is a long drive to see a total solar eclipse this time, if you can wait until this spring, there will be another solar eclipse, on April 8, 2024, that will be almost total in Manchester. During the April eclipse, you will only need to drive to Toledo, Ohio, to see the total eclipse!

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.