Partial solar eclipse enjoyed across Devon and Cornwall

Photographers across Devon and Cornwall were busy on Saturday morning as they captured the partial solar eclipse.

It was visible across the UK and much of the northern hemisphere as the moon passed partly in front of the sun.

Although cloud cover affected some people’s view, others watched as it seemed to take a nibble out of the sun.

Astronomers, locals and students gathered at Newquay Tretherras School in Cornwall for a special event to enjoy the spectacle.

Dr Nigel Price, astronomy lead at Newquay Tretherras said the planetary alignment was known as a “syzygy”.

He said: “It’s three astronomical objects perfectly lined up in space.

“So we’ve got the the Earth that we’re stood on, then we’ve got the moon coming across in front, and the sun is the most distant object.

“We are in what they call the penumbra, which is the the partial shadow, which is why we are seeing a partial eclipse.”

In the UK, at its peak, the moon covered about 30% to 50% of the star.

Looking at the sun directly can severely damage the eyes, so people were advised to use special eclipse glasses or view through a strong filter on a camera.