Partial Solar Eclipse in Lebanon

Lebanon witnessed a partial solar eclipse between 8:45 am local time and 11:00 am on Tuesday, the first of several eclipses that will occur this year.

An eclipse occurs when the moon swings between the sun and earth.

The lunar shadow fell in the Algerian Sahara at 6:40 am GMT before flitting northeastwards. In London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Berlin, between two-thirds and three-quarters of the Sun was darkened at the eclipse's peak.

Scandinavia was most favored, especially in northern Sweden where, at 8:50 am GMT, four-fifths of the Sun was obscured.

In the Middle East, the Sun was almost half-obscured when seen from Beirut, Jerusalem and Amman, but more than 60 percent from towns in Turkey.

The next partial solar eclipse will be on June 1, visible in eastern Siberia, northern China, Alaska and northern Canada.

Total solar eclipses occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth are all perfectly in line.