What it's like to chase solar eclipses around the world
A dedicated eclipse chaser travels across Europe to capture a rare total solar eclipse. The article explores the growing hobby of chasing celestial events and the personal commitment required to document them.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of amateur science, travel, and the human drive to witness rare natural phenomena.
Image source, under_the_lights Image caption, Mark Griffiths drove from Cheshire to Spain for the eclipse, stopping in France to take pictures
On Wednesday, parts of Europe will be plunged into daytime darkness as the moon passes in front of the sun, temporarily blocking its light and casting a shadow across the continent.
For many of us, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But for some, following eclipses has become something of an addiction.
Armed with two high-spec cameras, a specialist telescope and a drone, Mark Griffiths has spent two days driving from Cheshire to Galicia - one of the best places to view the eclipse - to record the event.
It's a hobby that started six years ago, when he went to Shetland to see the northern lights - though the weather was so dreary he "didn't see anything".
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