Photos captured a packed primary school field as people gathered to watch the partial solar eclipse near Basingstoke.
Families, first-time skywatchers and astronomy fans gathered at Cliddesden Primary School’s field on Wednesday, August 12, for a viewing event hosted by Basingstoke Astronomical Society.
The huge turnout brought traffic around the village to a standstill, with cars queuing as people headed for the school field.
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Society members arrived from 5.30pm with solar-filtered telescopes and certified eclipse glasses so visitors could safely watch the Moon cross the Sun.
Clear skies gave visitors a clear view of what was described as the UK’s best solar eclipse since 1999.
At its peak shortly after 7pm, the Moon covered around 91 per cent of the Sun, casting an eerie light across the area.
The partial eclipse began in Basingstoke at 6.17pm and ended at 8.06pm.
The photographs show crowds on the field looking skywards and using specialist equipment as the eclipse unfolded.
See the gallery above for more photos from the event.
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