People in the UK are reflecting on what it was like to watch the country’s last total solar eclipse, 27 years ago today. Accounts describe observers gathering outdoors and using improvised or protective viewing gear as the daylight dimmed.
The Daily Mail focuses on where people watched in 1999 and how different groups responded, including office workers who go outside, hospital staff who reportedly climbed onto rooftops, and spectators who traveled to higher ground. It also describes the kinds of eclipse glasses and other eye protection some viewers used, alongside more unconventional items. While the outlet emphasizes personal experiences and the atmosphere of the event, the core shared point across the reporting is the rarity of a total eclipse in Britain and the widespread public interest at the time.
