TORSHAVN, Faeroe Islands (AP) – For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don’t want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday’s brief total solar eclipse.
Scores of eclipse chasers and scientists have invaded the archipelago armed with telescopes, cameras and glasses for safe direct solar viewing ahead of the big event.
The weather forecast is better more than 2,000 kilometers (1,270 miles) to the northeast, in the Arctic islands of Svalbard, where spectators can hope for a clear day. The full eclipse will only be seen in a narrow path across the northern hemisphere, reaching the Faeroes at 0945 GMT on Friday.
“This is our 10th total eclipse. We love to watch them and being able to look at the corona with your eyes in the middle of the eclipse is really an exciting moment, to experience the diamond rings coming and going,” said Les Anderson, a 60-year-old from San Diego, California, in Torshavn, capital of the Faeroes.
The population of the 18 rocky islands between Scotland and Iceland has swelled by approximately 10,000 for a few days from its normal 48,000 souls.