June 10 will mark the year’s first solar eclipse, and people in the Netherlands should be lucky enough to catch sight of a partial eclipse as the moon sweeps directly in front of the sun. 

Catch a glimpse of the partial solar eclipse at midday

Residents of eastern Russia, Greenland, and northern Canada will be slightly luckier, and will be treated to a solar eclipse on Thursday. Here in Europe, we won’t be quite as lucky, but as long as the weather holds out, many should still be able to see the partial eclipse. 

In the Netherlands, the partial eclipse should take place between around 11am and 1.30pm, so if the sky is clear you’ll have more than enough time to see it. The peak is expected to be at 12.22pm in Amsterdam (slightly later up north in Groningen, and a little earlier down south in Rotterdam or Maastricht). In the Dutch capital, approximately 18 percent of the sun will be covered by the moon. 

The Netherlands' next solar eclipse won't happen until 2026

If you’re planning on getting out to try and see this natural wonder, make sure you do so safely! Wear proper eye protection, or make use of a simple pinhole camera to indirectly view the partial solar eclipse.

You might want to make the most of this opportunity, as the next total solar eclipse visible from Europe won’t happen until August 2026. There will be another partial eclipse next October, and in November 2021, the Netherlands will be treated to a partial lunar eclipse.