Total Eclipse of the Sun

Parts of Europe and North Africa went dark on 12th August. For a few minutes, the moon blocked the sun.

The darkest places were Greenland, Iceland and Spain. People there saw a total solar eclipse.

In these places, the moon totally covered the sun. The moon's shadow changed day to night.

People wanted to see this incredible event. Some travelled from other continents. American Matt McMullan was happy to be in Iceland.

Matt McMullan: "It was pretty incredible. I mean, just to see that natural spectacle. Goes from day to night back to day within a few minutes. I mean, it's, it's wild. It's worth the trip."

It got darker in other places too. There, the moon didn't block all of the sun. So, its shadow on the Earth was lighter. It felt like early evening.

Some people watched the eclipse through special glasses. Other people used a box with a small hole in it.

The science of an eclipse is easy to understand. But in the past, people worried about them.

An eclipse was a message. Something bad could happen. Or the gods were angry.

These days, people aren't worried, they're amazed. Some people cry when they watch an eclipse.

This happened to American Glenn Rosa in Iceland. The experience was a surprise for local people too, says Sigridur Inga Sigurdardottir.

Glenn Rosa: "I was actually having chills in my body. I think a tear or two came out of me. So - coz I, coz I never been on this - and it, it was an, an amazing experience."

Sigridur Inga Sigurdardottir: "It was totally amazing. It was something that you will not experience in a lifetime. It was more than I thought it would be." View Less