Solar eclipse plunges Northern Europe into darkness

Stockholm, March 20, (dpa/GNA) - The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, off northern Norway was Friday one of the best places in Europe for astronomers and others to experience a total solar eclipse.

Another were the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, where an estimated 8,000 tourists have arrived to follow the spectacular natural event.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the earth and the sun, which is then obscured.

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK broadcast live from Svalbard where an estimated 2,000 tourists have arrived to follow the event expected to peak at around 11 am (1000 GMT). Accommodation has been booked up several years in advance.

Danish public broadcaster DR also streamed images of the moon slowly moving across the sun.

Those looking to the sky in northern Sweden and northern mainland Norway were also predicted to have a good view of the phenomenon, but the eclipse would only be partial.

Cloud cover obscured the view in southern parts of Scandinavia.

The eclipse started in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, at around 9.46 am (0846 GMT) and expected to peak at 10.53 am (0953 GMT).

GNA