WHILE around 80,000 people hit Cornwall for the total eclipse, around 500 chose to view the partial eclipse at the observatory in Moor Park.

Preston and District Astronomy Society set up camp at the observatory to give people the chance to see the eclipse in a safe manner.

John Hooper, PADAS chairman, said: "The eclipse had no surprises in store at all. What we saw was an 85 per cent partial eclipse and it was very interesting to see.

"Before the moon came over, we watched sun spot activity and saw a cluster of them - the darker areas are magnetic disturbances on the surface of the sun and the area becomes cooler than the rest of the surface. "We had some cloud cover but I think we had a slightly better view than the people who travelled to Cornwall."

The society set up two Celestron five inch telescopes for visitors to view the eclipse, along with main telescope, which was used to project an image of the eclipse onto a card.

Members also handed out strips of Mylar paper through which it is safe to look directly at the sun.

There was also a television and link to the Internet to show the effects of the total eclipse in the South West.

As the eclipse reached its peak, the crowds, pictured, all looked to the skies through a variety of different viewers and felt the chill as the sun became hidden.

One observer, Peter Dyer, said: "My mother actually stood in Moor Park in 1927 to watch the total eclipse. It was earlier in the morning and it went pitch black."

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