Met Éireann says the south of Ireland could be the best region from which to view Friday morning's near-total solar eclipse.
Forecasters say that although it is difficult to predict with certainty at this stage what the weather will be like over the country on Friday, it appears there will be cloud cover and rain over the northern parts of Connacht and Ulster.
However, the cloud may not have reached more southerly parts before the eclipse takes place between 9.30am and 11.30am, meaning these areas may prove the best vantage points.
Because Ireland will be in a zone where the Sun is almost entirely but not totally obscured by the Moon, it will only experience a partial eclipse.
However, at least 90% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon, meaning it will still be quite the spectacle.
An area off the west coast of Ireland, running north through the middle of the Atlantic, over the Faro Islands and up over the Arctic will experience the full solar eclipse.
The Irish Federation of Astronomical Societies is staging a number of free public eclipse viewings in the following locations:
The Irish Astronomical Society at Dunsink Observatory, Co Dublin
St Cronan’s Stargazers at St Cronan’s National School Bray, Co Wicklow
Midlands Astronomy Club at Athlone Castle, Co Westmeath
Cork Astronomy Club at Blackrock Castle Observatory, Co Cork
Galway Astronomy Club at Toft Park Salthill, Co Galway
Shannonside Astronomy Club at The Stone Circle Grange, Co Limerick
Deise Astronomy Club at Dungarvan Square, Co Waterford
Irish Astronomical Association at Queen's University in Belfast, (in front of the Whitla Hall) University Road (in association with the ARC, Dept of Physics)
Chaine Memorial Park in Larne on the seafront
Scrabo Hill Car Park in Newtownards
Seafront car park in Portballintrae
