Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Partial solar eclipse due over NZ on Friday

Updated at 11:54 am on 23 November 2011

Much of New Zealand is to be treated to a partial solar eclipse late on Friday afternoon.

The partial eclipse begins at sunset and will end about 9pm.

However, astronomer Alan Gilmore from Canterbury University's Mount John Observatory says Auckland, Hamilton, Northland, East Cape and Bay of Plenty will miss out.

He says in all those places the sun has set before the eclipse begins.

South of that line, the eclipse will just be starting as the sun goes down.

Mr Gilmore told Morning Report the eclipse will be at its maximum at Christchurch, with about a third of the sun covered.

Invercargill will see the eclipse practically to its end, which is expected to be about 9pm.

Listen to Alan Gilmore on Morning Report

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