Clouds are set to spoil the show for more Kiwis hoping to catch tomorrow’s rare partial solar eclipse at dawn — but one city might just get lucky.
The eclipse would begin before sunrise and reach its peak around 7am, with the moon covering up to 70% of the sun in parts of the lower South Island.
In Auckland, the coverage will be closer to 60%.
However, MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley told 1News that the same weather system responsible for strong wind warnings from Stewart Island to Wellington would make it “difficult” to catch a glimpse of the celestial event.
“We have high cloud over much of the North Island – you’ll end up with this kind of big, high cloud shield, which makes it difficult to see,” Pawley said.
“It is the type of cloud that can be patchy at times, so I wouldn’t rule out seeing the eclipse entirely. But I think it’s going to be pretty hard.”
Christchurch, however, stood out as the one city with a chance of clear skies.
“I think that’s probably the city with the best bet,” Pawley said.
The amount of sun covered at the peak of Monday’s eclipse will vary across the country, from around 60% in Auckland to more than 70% in the lower South Island.
In Christchurch, 69% of the sun will be covered by the eclipse.
In contrast to the total lunar eclipse earlier this month, experts stressed solar eclipses could be dangerous to watch without proper precautions.
“It’s never safe to look directly at the sun without proper protection. You’ll need certified solar viewing glasses. Regular sunglasses are not safe for solar viewing,” Stardome said.
Stardome is holding a free viewing party atop Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill between 6am and 8am if the weather allows.
The eclipse will end just after 8am, when the moon slips clear of the sun’s disc.