Thousands turn out to watch solar eclipse
Getty ImagesThousands of spectators have turned out to watch the partial solar eclipse across the South West and Channel Islands.
About 94% to 96% of the Sun was covered by the Moon across Devon, Cornwall, Jersey and Guernsey when the eclipse peaked at 19:15 BST.
More than 90% was covered for most of the rest of the UK.
The spectacle is expected to last about one hour and 50 minutes - it started at about 18:20 and will finish by 20:10.
Western parts of Pembrokeshire in Wales also saw the eclipse at its fullest.
The rest of Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of the West Midlands and other parts of the South West, including Bristol, as well as the westernmost parts of Scotland saw 92% to 94% solar coverage.
Alan Smith, chief astronomer at Norman Lockyer Observatory in Sidmouth, Devon, said: "What we're seeing is the dark side of the Moon, which isn't illuminated by the Sun, gradually crossing the solar disk.
"After a few minutes, you begin to see that it is progressing slowly.
"For a moon moving at 2000 miles an hour, it doesn't look like it is shifting quickly.
"We get two solar eclipses every year, but a good eclipse in any one place - you could be waiting a long time, 100 years or more."
'Sharing the spectacle'
BBC South West's Clare Ainsworth watched the event unfold at Churchtown Farm nature reserve in Saltash, Cornwall.
She said a lot of people did not have eclipse glasses but others were sharing theirs and "sharing the spectacle".
"It's a lovely community event," she said.
BBC Guernsey reporter Perisha Kudhail, who was reporting from Cobo Bay, described the rare event as "breathtaking".
"All day today I've been speaking to families, tourists and visitors who have all come here to see the eclipse," she explained.
"They are all very excited."
