On Wednesday evening, millions of people in Europe watched a rare solar eclipse. We asked some of them to share their photographs and experiences of this celestial treat. Here are some of their responses. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
Impressions from Glasgow and London
Deniz (45, artist, Glasgow) watched a few minutes of glory with her husband's welding visors in cloudy Loch Lubnaig. David (57, Hampstead, London) described being on Hampstead Heath with dozens of people with cereal boxes and colanders on their heads as the light faded as 'bizarre'.
Photographers' perspective
Amelia (19, receptionist, Nuneaton, Warwickshire) called the solar eclipse 'a surreal experience'. She is a keen photographer and enjoys capturing special moments, and was excited to see the sky change.
Homemade devices on Deal beach
Matt (38, Eastry, Kent) and his wife Becky watched the eclipse from Deal beach with a range of homemade viewing devices. They thought that the colander worked best!
Spectacular view from a ship in Iceland
James (64, retired attorney, Sonoma County, California) had tried twice before to see an eclipse, but clouds blocked the view. This time they traveled to Iceland and boarded a ship called World Navigator. Despite cloudy weather, thanks to the captain and crew and some good luck, a clear patch opened up before totality, and they witnessed the eclipse in all its glory. Some passengers got a bit choked up.
Unity on the street
Luke (30, lawyer, Islington, London) went out onto the street and saw everyone with their little contraptions, calling it 'such a cool unifying event'. Sarah (31, admin worker, Alcester, Warwickshire) watched the eclipse through her camera from her front door, as they had a direct view. It was the first solar eclipse she could remember seeing, and she kept calling her wife to come and look.
Community spirit
Annayah (31, lecturer, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire) sat out by the green with neighbours, using colanders and pizza boxes. They saw crescent circles of light shifting on the cardboard as the moon moved across the sun. She described it as a great chance to be in nature and share the 'colander silliness' with the community.
Telescope and dog
Laura Ngo (41, physics graduate, Essex) took her telescope to Brightlingsea, one of the few west-facing beaches in the south-east. Children were playing, and there was a community feel. One child without glasses said 'It just looks like the moon' when Laura gave him hers.
Family gathering in Belgium
Pauline Vandewiele (30, interior architect, northern Belgium) watched the eclipse with siblings, parents, and husband. Her sister brought 10 pairs of glasses and gave some to others, creating a cosy atmosphere.