A rare partial solar eclipse will be visible in skies above Greater Manchester later this week.
In a celestial event known as an annular eclipse that only occurs every one or two years, the sun and moon will be positioned exactly in line with the earth, but the moon will appear to cover and block the sun out by nearly a third.
This causes the sun to appear as a very bright ring – or annulus, as it’s officially known – in a phenomenon which has been dubbed the “ring of fire”.
As impressive as it sounds though, the “ring of fire” in its true form will unfortunately only be visible from Russia, Greenland and northern Canada, with observers in the UK and Ireland only treated to a crescent sun instead of a ring.
This is due to the fact that, as mentioned, this will only be a partial eclipse.
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When is the eclipse?
For all of us here in the UK, the spectacle is set to begin at 08:12 UTC on Thursday 10 June, and at this moment, the moon will begin its slow creep across the face of the sun.
It reaches its maximum coverage at 10:41 UTC and then, the eclipse ends at 13:11 UTC.
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If you’re a little unsure as to what the UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) is, websites such as timeanddate.com will help you convert UTC into your local time, so in the UK, for example, British summer time is UTC+1 hour, so the maximum eclipse takes place at 11:41 BST.
The spectacle is set to begin at 08:12 UTC on Thursday 10 June / Credit: Space Facts
Where and how can I watch the eclipse safely?
Even though for the UK a large part of the solar disc will be covered, experts have warned that looking at the partially eclipsed sun without appropriate protection can still cause serious and permanent damage to the eyes.
Dr Emily Drabek-Maunder, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: “Never look at the sun directly or use standard sunglasses, it can cause serious harm to your eyes.”
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She suggests using a simple pinhole projector, solar eclipse viewing glasses – which can be purchased online – or special solar filters that fit on telescopes.
“You can make a projector by poking a small hole into a piece of card.” she adds.
“Hold the card up to the sun so that light shines through the hole and on to a piece of paper behind the card [and] you will be able to see the shape of the sun projected on to the piece of paper and watch its shape change as the moon passes in front of the sun.”
The Royal Observatory Greenwich will be also be streaming the eclipse live on its website and YouTube channel here.
Featured Image – Pixabay
UK News
First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home
Thomas Melia
Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.
Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.
You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.
As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.
There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.
Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.
Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.
There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?
Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).
And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.
Marco Pierre White praises Manchester restaurant serving ‘the best pizza’ he’s EVER had
Danny Jones
Legendary chef Marco Pierre White has given his verdict on where he thinks does THE best pizza not just in the UK but perhaps in the entire world, and it’s right here in Manchester
Rudy’s, Nell’s, Double Zero and now this – we really are spoilt for slices in 0161, aren’t we?
Pierre White, who was not only the first Brit to ever win three Michelin stars but the youngest person to achieve the feat in history, recently visited the restaurant in question and was more than happy to share his bold claims, dubbing it “the very best I’ve ever had in my life”.
That’s saying quite something, not only from one of the most famous chefs in the world, but given his own family heritage. He even saw fit to sign the menu and write the man in the kitchen a thank-you note.
A recent London export, which only just launched in spring 2025, the 63-year-old chef, entrepreneur and TV personality says that Forbici is now his number one, stating simply: “Let the pizzas do the talking.”
Noting that he’s been all over the world and eaten at some of the most highly-rated venues in the world (especially given the fact that he is of Italian heritage on his mother’s side), including some of the most authentic you’ll find in the likes of Naples, Rome, and so on, he still seemed confident in his declaration.
Citing other famous names in the world of cooking, like Nancy Silverton of Pizzeria Mozza fame, as well as fellow TV chef and restaurateur Mario Batali, he says that the creative takes on Neapolitan ‘pies’ that master baker Davide Argentino is currently cooking up are nothing short of “delicious.”
Having first become famous down in the capital for its name, which simply translates as ‘scissors’ – also the chosen utensil given to diners for cutting up their pizzas – it proved a smash hit when it made its way up North, garnering massive opening day queues outside its restaurant on the corner of Cross Street.
Better still, you can now order it to take away, too… Game-changer.
Now, it goes without saying that we’re lucky enough to have many restaurants serving some of the authentic food from various regions all over Italy, not to mention a plethora of incredible pizza spots in the city centre and the wider boroughs.
It’s no exaggeration, therefore, to say that we struggle picking our absolute favourite from week to week at this point.
What we will say is that we bloody love Forbici, too, and are glad to see them getting so much recognition since arriving in the region.
Emily Sergeant -
7th June 2021 
