It was a moment of awe shared by millions across Europe: an eclipse that blocked out the sun, plunging parts of the Continent into a daytime darkness in which temperatures dropped and birds suddenly went quiet.
Wednesday’s eclipse began in Russia’s remote Arctic north, going on to trace an arc over much of western Europe. Tens of millions of people turned to the sky as the light of the setting sun was almost completely blocked out.
The most sought-after experiences were in Greenland, Iceland and Spain along with a small strip of Portugal. It was in parts of these countries that totality – referring to when the moon completely covers the sun’s light – was on offer, drawing millions of local people and thousands of tourists from across the globe into the path of the eclipse.
In Iceland, people flocked by air, land and sea to take in the country’s first total solar eclipse in 72 years. Amid concerns that clouds would block the view, a record 31 cruise ships plied the waters off the western part of the country, hoping to secure a top view for about 53,000 passengers and crew.
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Spanish officials estimated that as many as six million people, including more than 450,000 tourists, flocked to the path of the eclipse, which stretched about 200km from A Coruna in the northwest to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. – Guardian
