Former BBC News correspondent Simon Hall reported from Alderney during the 1999 total solar eclipse.
Alderney, the third-largest Channel Island, offered some of the best views of the solar eclipse in the British Isles, although periods of cloud affected visibility.
More than 250 astronomers joined local islanders on Alderney to witness the rare celestial event.
Recalling the 1999 eclipse, Hall said: “Eclipse day in Alderney was a tease.
“Cloud cover created uncertainty from the beginning, leaving people unsure how much of the total solar eclipse they would see.”
The first half of the eclipse was hidden by cloud, which also helped reduce the sun’s intense glare as totality approached.
“At 11:00, the temperature dropped sharply as totality drew near,” Hall said.
“The chances of seeing totality had been 50/50, but at 11:16, just as the total eclipse began, the cloud cleared.”
According to Royal Museums Greenwich, external, the UK’s next total solar eclipse is not expected until 2090.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk