Spectacular images as HMS Protector crew witness rare total solar eclipse
HMS Protector's crew have been lucky enough to witness a rare total solar eclipse.
The Royal Navy's only icebreaker tweeted images while she was sailing around South Georgia at the weekend as her ship's company watched the "once-in-a-lifetime" phenomenon.
On December 4, Antarctica was plunged into darkness as it was hit by this solar eclipse, the last one of 2021.
The sun had previously not set in Antarctica since October, but the few people living and working on the icy continent were able to witness the brief moment of darkness during the eclipse.
Protector, being in South Georgia, would have been able to see about a 90% eclipse, with the full totality only visible to a small number of scientists and experts in Antarctica.
Solar eclipses happen when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, casting its shadow on Earth, with a total eclipse taking place when the sun, moon and Earth are directly aligned.
The eclipse began at 07:00 UKT when the moon began to move in front of the sun and it ended at 08:06 UKT.
The last total solar eclipse in Antarctica happened on 23 November 23 2003, and the next one will not be until 2039.
HMS Protector will be making her first visit to the frozen continent since 2019 to continue her work supporting scientists from around the world who are studying the impact of global warming.
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