Grey nomads still lingering in Far North Queensland have joined thousands of locals and astronomy enthusiasts to witness Australia’s first total solar eclipse in a decade. The clouds parted to allow excellent viewing of the event, which happened shortly before 6am (AEST), and plunged much of the north of the state into total darkness.
For a couple of minutes north Queensland went from day to night as the moon crossed between earth and the sun. It was the first full solar eclipse visible from Australia since 2002 – and that was only in the nation’s south. It is estimated that about 60,000 people travelled to Cairns and parts north to watch the solar spectacle. Other parts of Australia were able to see a partial eclipse.
The Australian Astronomical Observatory says it takes the moon about an hour to pass from first contact, when it begins to cross the sun’s path, to totality, when the sun is completely obscured.
The next solar eclipse to be visible from Australia is expected in May next year, but it will only be an annular eclipse (where the sun is still visible around the edges of the moon).
Were you in the north to see the solar eclipse?
