A partial solar eclipse was seen on Saturday

MONTREAL — Applause erupted when brief spells of sunshine allowed the hundred or so people gathered at an astrophysical observatory near Victoria, British Columbia, to catch a glimpse of Saturday’s partial solar eclipse.

Fog and clouds were present most of the morning at the mountaintop site, but there were times when the sky was clear and the partial eclipse was visible, said Calvin Schmidt, an employee of the Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Saanich.

Schmidt says these moments of solar splendor were worth the wait, although some reports said skies were almost completely clear in parts of Victoria, giving residents a continuous view of the partial eclipse.

Residents of southwestern British Columbia were in the best place in Canada to view the solar eclipse.

This event is known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, where the moon passes in front of the sun, but does not completely cover it, leaving a rim of fire around the dark moon.

Environment Canada expects clouds and rain showers to occur in most parts of southwestern British Columbia, where the moon will block between 70 and 80 per cent of the sun.

This partial eclipse was also visible in Quebec “between 12:11 p.m. and 2:23 p.m.,” the Astronomical Society of Montreal Planetarium (SAPM) noted on its website.

She added: “In Montreal, the sun will be eclipsed to a maximum of 17% during the maximum eclipse at 1:17 p.m. However, elsewhere in Canada the maximum may reach 79%.”

The partial eclipse also provided an impressive view of parts of the western United States. I traveled through Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas, as well as parts of California, Arizona, and Colorado. It will then cross the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil.

Observe the eclipse safely

“During a solar eclipse, it is necessary to wear filtering glasses designed for observing the eclipse (international standard ISO 12312-2). Simple sunglasses are not suitable and do not adequately protect the eyes for this type of observation,” the CSA states.

“You should not look directly into the sun without adequate protection, otherwise it may cause serious problems including partial or complete loss of vision,” warns the ASC.

If you do not have suitable glasses with the necessary filter, the ASC explains on its website how to make a suitable filter using a box.

The next total solar eclipse will be visible in Canada on April 8. The maximum shadow of the eclipse will then sweep across Mexico, the United States, and eastern Canada. This time, it will be Canadians in parts of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador who will get the best view.