Wow, what a fascinating Astronomy Day! The sky was mostly clear in both Bonn and Effelsberg, and our visitors were able to experience the partial solar eclipse (SoFi) on March 29 with their own eyes!
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. This only happens during a new moon and when the Moon is aligned with the Sun and Earth. There are three types of solar eclipses:
👉 Total SoFi - when the Sun is completely covered. A total solar eclipse lasts a maximum of 7 minutes and 32 seconds;
👉 Partial SoFi - when only a part of the Sun is covered;
👉 Annular SoFi - when the Moon is too far away and therefore too small to completely cover the Sun.
Since the Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun and exactly 400 times closer to the Earth, it can completely cover the Sun when viewed from Earth. However, a solar eclipse cannot be observed equally from all places on Earth, but only within a narrow geographic area. But wherever you are, remember: Never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection! For example, SoFi glasses or a welding helmet with the appropriate protection level are suitable, but not regular sunglasses or binoculars.
In addition to the partially obscured Sun, several sunspots were also visible. The number of sunspots depends on the current phase of the Sun's 11-year activity cycle, which is why they are not always visible.
#SaveTheDate:
📢 The next partial solar eclipse in Germany: August 12, 2026 – over 80% coverage;
📢 The next total solar eclipse visible from Germany: in 2081.
#solareclipse #astronomy #sunspots #fascination #effelsberg
