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Jersey community unites out west for solar eclipse

St Ouen's Bay was packed for the spectacle. Inset: The eclipse captured by Ross Nieuwberg.

Thousands of islanders basked in the August heat to watch the once-in-a-generation partial solar eclipse.

The west coast beaches and sea walls were packed with people getting a view of the diminishing sun.

From 6.15pm onwards the moon began to gradually glide across the sun, covering it by up to 95% at 7.17pm.

People of all ages gathered along St Ouen's Bay, just as the tide was coming in, to share a moment in history.

 

Many brought deckchairs and blankets, along with kitchen colanders and cereal boxes they had turned into improvised solar eclipse projectors.

Others had managed to get their hands on those sought-after special glasses they generously shared with those who hadn't been so well-prepared.

Jersey Astronomy Club set up telescopes on the sand for people to take turns to view the eclipse safely.

Islander Christopher Bee brought his own device, a  S30 Seestar automatic telescope.

He shared his footage with us:

Those we spoke described the occasion;

"A once in a lifetime experience."

"They say west is best, but today especially has been phenomenal."

"It's topped off the summer, I think."

"It was actually pretty cool, like the moon had turned all firey."

"Wow! The sense of peacefulness when it went really dark, it was really, really nice."

"The most wonderful thing is just seeing thousands of Jersey people come together as a community."

We will have to wait until 2081 for the next one.

 

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