By Ruth Comerford<\/p>\n
BBC News<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
A total solar eclipse is set to span North America on Monday – from Mexico to the very eastern tip of Canada.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The astronomical phenomenon will be less dramatic in the UK, but a partial eclipse could be visible in some parts of the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking some or all of the Sun’s rays from reaching the Earth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The phenomenon is a cosmic event, requiring the Sun, the Moon and the Earth to be in just the right alignment for the Moon to cast a shadow on our planet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When this happens, the Moon casts two types of shadows.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n One results in a partial solar eclipse, which covers only part of the Sun.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The other – and the more spectacular – is called a total solar eclipse, in which the Sun’s disc is entirely covered by the Moon, save for a delicate halo of scattered light coming from our star’s outer atmosphere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth roughly every 18 months or so. The continental US was also lucky enough to see one in 2017, but its next significant opportunity won’t come until 2045. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Moon’s full shadow ends its journey across the Earth in the Atlantic Ocean about 620 miles (1,000km) from Cornwall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But it should still be possible to catch a partial eclipse from western parts of the UK, right before sunset.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Very simply, if you draw a line from about Fowey in Cornwall to Berwick upon Tweed in Northumberland, then everything west of that line might just get a view of the Moon biting the edge of the Sun as it disappears over the horizon. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n You’ll need to be on high ground and have clear sky. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “With the partial solar eclipse occurring late in the day UK time, the Sun will be low to the horizon and will actually set before the spectacle is over,” BBC Weather presenter Simon King said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/12D1F\/production\/_133078077_4e2628f5-baf5-43d2-af63-0f91a0a7876b.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWhat is a solar eclipse and why is this one special?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/136EE\/production\/_132989597_solar_eclipsev2_2x640-nc.png.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/17B3F\/production\/_133078079_b8d8b4d6-7dbd-420b-b6a7-4a979c0efff2.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWhere and when can I see the eclipse in the UK? <\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Map](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/6804\/production\/_133082662_thumbnail_uk_eclipse_path_map_v2_2x_640-nc.png.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/46A7\/production\/_133078081_92ca8497-6e3f-42c9-b345-088ecff4def6.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/94C7\/production\/_133078083_8af9359f-8762-4d5a-af30-3f25b23db720.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/E2E7\/production\/_133078085_287982c3-d63f-457f-bcd7-7a3d0713ee96.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/13D23\/production\/_133078118_050e3920-6f1f-4896-aab0-2c467a826e6f.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Map](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/13F0D\/production\/_133077618_2024_us_eclipse_path_mapv2_2x_640-nc.png.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/088B\/production\/_133078120_7045d867-078c-438e-bdb1-b81f92c0cfa6.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"eclipse](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/56AB\/production\/_133078122_8cf40a6a-5c62-4134-9892-6e3e94a6fa61.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/noscript><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n