Partial solar eclipse in Freetown
Western Area, Sierra Leone
Freetown is outside the path of annularity, so no ring of sunlight forms here. At its greatest, at 16:36:33 local time (UTC+0), the Moon covers 22% of the Sun. The nearest place on this page where it's annular is Funchal, Portugal, about 1687 mi (2715 km) away.
- Sun covered
- 22%
- Maximum
- 16:36:33 UTC+0
- Sun at maximum
- 31° up, WSW (242°)
- Magnitude
- 0.343
- Whole eclipse
- 15:23 to 17:39
Eclipse times in Freetown
| Phase | Local time (UTC+0) | UT | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1: the partial eclipse begins | 15:23:33 | 46° up, SW (231°) | |
| Maximum eclipse | 16:36:33 | 31° up, WSW (242°) | |
| C4: the eclipse ends | 17:39:57 | 17° up, WSW (247°) |
C1 to C4 are the four contacts: the Moon first touching the Sun, the start and end of annularity (C2 and C3, only inside the path), and the Moon leaving the Sun. Magnitude is the share of the Sun's diameter the Moon covers at maximum; the share of the Sun's area covered is 22%. Sun direction is the compass bearing from true north.
Times are computed: check before you travel. They come from our own calculation (astronomy-engine, the same Moon and Sun sizes and Delta T as NASA's predictions) and agree with NASA's published central-line durations to within a second, but they leave out the mountains and valleys on the Moon's edge (NASA: about 1 to 3 seconds of annularity, and 1 to 3 km at the edges of the path), your exact spot in town and the weather.
Eye safety
- Look at the partly eclipsed Sun only through eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer that meets the ISO 12312-2 standard. Ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe.
- An annular eclipse is never safe to look at without eye protection, not even at annularity. At its greatest the Moon leaves a ring of the Sun's bright surface showing (the "ring of fire"), and looking at it without a solar filter can cause serious eye injury. Keep the glasses on the whole time you look at the Sun, from the first contact to the last: there is no moment to take them off.
- Never look through a camera, binoculars or a telescope at the Sun, even with eclipse glasses on: those need their own solar filter fitted on the front.
- Check the glasses before you use them and throw away any that are scratched, torn or damaged. Watch children while they use them.
From the guidance of NASA and the American Astronomical Society: NASA's eclipse safety page · The American Astronomical Society's list of safe viewers and filters.
Eclipse glasses
Buy them well before you travel, and check that they're labelled ISO 12312-2 and come from a maker or seller on the American Astronomical Society's list above.
Search Amazon for ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses
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Before you book: the U.S. State Department rates Sierra Leone Level 2: Exercise increased caution (updated 2025-09-14; checked 2026-10-23). Check your own government's advice and entry rules too; we don't give travel safety advice.
All places and the path map · Best places by length of annularity · All three eclipses
Sources: eclipse times computed by FitzTopPicks with astronomy-engine (MIT License) and checked against NASA's path table (Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA's GSFC, eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov). Places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Map outlines: Natural Earth (public domain). Airports: OurAirports (public domain).