Chantry students took a break from normal lessons on Friday 20 March to observe the solar eclipse taking place in the sky above.

Students assembled on the back yard with their solar viewers, welding masks and pinhole cameras. Such a rare cosmic coincidence had to be experienced first hand.

Despite cloud obscuring the view, we were able to see the magical moment when almost 95% of the Sun was blocked out by the passing Moon. For 3 or 4 minutes an eerie silence fell across the yard as the sky darkened and the Sun appeared to smile.

Year 8’s David Dowson has a keen interest in photography and took some amazing shots of the eclipse. 

“I really enjoy taking pictures of nature and the environment.  I think photography gives us the chance to relive moments again and again so I was really looking forward to today as it was a great opportunity  to capture the event on film. I was a bit disappointed that it was so cloudy but I am proud of what I shot and am happy that I will be able to look back and remember the day through my pictures.”

David is hoping to get a job in photography and, in particular, wants to travel to Hawaii to photograph the volcanoes there.  We think your shots are fantastic David and think you will have an outstanding career as long as you remained ‘focused’!

Lots of our pupils had great fun making their own eclipse viewers. Check out more pictures by reading more.