QUEEN guitarist and astrophysicist Sir Brian May has swapped the stage for the sky this week, travelling to Spain to witness today’s total solar eclipse — and documenting the journey on his personal blog, Brian’s Soapbox.
In a post titled “Eclipse – Voy a España!!!”, published on 11 August, May announced the start of what he called his ‘new adventure,’ joking that he wouldn’t be behind the wheel himself.
True to his scientific side, he used the post to issue a stark safety warning to fans planning to watch the spectacle: regular sunglasses offer no protection and could cause blindness.
Instead, he urged people to use proper solar eclipse viewers or try his own pinhole-projection method, stressing that parents make sure children understand the danger too.
May also reflected on a month spent at home dealing with family matters, describing the trip as a welcome return to the wider world.
The eclipse path takes totality across the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and into northern Spain and the far northeast of Portugal, making the region a prime viewing spot for astronomy enthusiasts like May.
On the morning of the eclipse itself, May shared further details with followers, noting that from his vantage point totality would begin around 6.20pm British Summer Time and last roughly two hours, weather and internet coverage permitting.
He warned that the sun would sit very low on the western horizon by the time totality arrived, adding an extra challenge for eclipse-chasers, before wishing good luck to everyone else following the celestial event.
May’s eclipse trip capped a busy fortnight in the public eye, having also appeared on BBC’s Newsnight on 11 August to discuss the phenomenon ahead of his Spanish expedition.
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