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Thousands of Londoners hit the capital’s streets and parks on Wednesday to witness the biggest solar eclipse in decades.
Crowds flocked to viewing spots such as the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and Primrose Hill, while scores of shops sold out of protective glasses.
The eclipse, the country’s fullest for the next 54 years, began in London at 6.17pm and peaked at 7.13pm before finishing at 8.06pm.
At its peak, more than 90 per cent of the Sun was obscured by the Moon, the most it has been blocked in UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999.
People across the capital could be seen donning special glasses, while many formed homemade contraptions made from cereal boxes and colanders.
A spontaneous round of applause broke out across the hills of Greenwich Park to greet the moment of peak eclipse, with many capturing the moment on their phone cameras.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory said it had sold approximately 15,000 pairs of eclipse glasses in the past month.
John Lewis said colander sales increased nearly 40 per cent compared to last year, with Nasa recommending the kitchen item as a way to watch an eclipse by viewing the shadows it casts on the ground.
Two men, who watched the eclipse from Waterloo Bridge, told the Standard they had come all the way from India to watch it.
One said: “It was fantastic. We came to London just to watch the eclipse, and have the best of the views from Parliament Square.
“And we came all the way from India actually, just to watch the eclipse.”
Another said: “It was brilliant, really great and very cool to see the sun disappear. Like it's wild. That doesn’t happen every day.”
