Partial solar eclipse draws crowds across Vorarlberg

People across Vorarlberg gathered on Wednesday evening to watch a partial solar eclipse, ORF reported. Under clear skies, crowds assembled at locations with unobstructed views of the sunset, as the Moon covered up to 90 percent of the Sun.

The relatively rare celestial event began in Vorarlberg at about 7.22pm, with the maximum reached at around 8.17pm. By then, the Sun was very low on the western horizon, about two degrees above the horizon line, Vorarlberg astronomer Robert Seeberger said. A clear view to the west and northwest was therefore essential.

The eclipse was over after about 50 minutes. Many people photographed the partially covered solar disc, with images taken at locations including Bildstein, Pfänder and Dornbirn Oberfallenberg.

The Moon covered between 88 and 90 percent of the Sun in Vorarlberg, among the highest levels recorded in Austria. Observers were warned not to look directly at the Sun without suitable protection, as this can cause serious and permanent eye damage.

Only certified eclipse glasses meeting the ISO 12312-2 standard or tested solar filters for telescopes and cameras were considered safe, Bludenz optician Sivia Ibele told ORF. In many places, protective glasses had already sold out at the start of the week.

The Perseid meteor shower reached its peak overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. The simultaneous new moon created ideal conditions for observing shooting stars, Seeberger said, forecasting at least one meteor per minute.