Eclipse LIVE

Hosts Brian Cox and Dara O’Briain talked viewers through what was happening
The eclipse started at about 8.30am and at its peak an hour later only ten percent of the sun was visible from the site

A spectacular eclipse was witnessed by millions of people in the UK as Stargazing LIVE broadcast a special edition of the show from Jodrell Bank.

The clouds in Cheshire drifted away at just the right time to give the schoolchildren assembled in front of the Lovell telescope, and viewers on TV around the world, a full view of the celestial event.

Hosts Brian Cox and Dara O’Briain talked viewers through what was happening, as the moon slowly moved between the sun and the earth. The eclipse started at about 8.30am and at its peak an hour later only ten percent of the sun was visible from the site.

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That was a spectacular event – and we all feel very lucky because the weather forecasts weren’t that great

Professor Brian Cox

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Afterwards Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President And Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “What a fantastic experience it was watching the eclipse and it was great watching it from Jodrell Bank. The whole team did a great job behind the scenes.”

And a delighted Professor Brian Cox said: “That was a spectacular event – and we all feel very lucky because the weather forecasts weren’t that great.

“But everything worked out really well; we got great live pictures from the plane flying over the Faroe Islands while the Lovell Telescope here at Jodrell was able to follow the eclipse to give us some interesting data.”

Co-presenter Dara O'Briain also added that it was “an incredible experience” and went on to praise both the BBC broadcast and University teams working hard behind the scenes to make the live shows such a success. “We have been here five years now and, for me, Jodrell Bank has become a home-from-home, always a real pleasure to come back to the University.”

The final episode of Star Gazing LIVE 2015 is on tonight on BBC One at 8pm. The team will discuss the eclipse and look at data taken by the Lovell Telescope while it was in progress.