A partial solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes almost directly between the sun and the Earth, was observed in different parts of Finland on Thursday afternoon.
About 30 enthusiastic skygazers gathered in the Arktikum museum and science centre in Rovaniemi to view the phenomenon, including astronomical association Corona Borealis' board member Sari Pietikäinen.
"This has been unique," Pietikäinen said. "It is the first time I get to experience it this way. Rovaniemi is usually quite cloudy, but the weather now is very favourable."
The eclipse was at its deepest over the Lapland municipality of Utsjoki, where the moon covered about 61 percent of the sun.
In the city of Jyväskylä in Central Finland, a local astronomical hobby association organised a viewing event in the city's Harbour Park, where the eclipse could be viewed safely through telescopes. Association secretary Irma Aroluoma told Yle that about 100 people visited during the afternoon.
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"There were four of us and we were constantly talking and explaining to people," Aroluoma said, adding that the cloudless sky over the city on Thursday afternoon made for perfect viewing conditions.
"Those who came were amazed, as even some sunspots were seen. The eclipse was really visible and the sky was clear. The only downside was that it was absolutely ungodly hot," she said.
The last partial eclipse observed over Finland was in August 2018, and the next one will be in October next year. A complete eclipse is more rare, with the last seen over Finland occurring in July 1990, and the next one due in 2026.