Dundee’s skies will go dark during daytime hours this month in the most significant solar eclipse for more than a decade.

The moon will block the vast majority of the suns’s surface on the morning of March 20.

In Dundee, 94% of the sun’s surface will be covered in a partial eclipse. A total eclipse, where the sun is covered entirely, will only be visible in some parts of Norway and the Faroe Islands.

The website Time and Date, which provides data on solar and lunar events, said: “The total phase of this solar eclipse is not visible in Dundee, but it can be observed there as a partial solar eclipse.

“The moon covers a large portion of the sun, so this is still a spectacular sight.”

The partial eclipse will start in Dundee at 8.31am. By 9.36am the moon will be closest to the centre of the sun, described as “maximum eclipse”. The event will end at 10.45am.

The last eclipse of this type to be visible from Scotland was in 1999 and it will be 11 years before another happens.

The Mills Observatory, on Balgay Hill, will open its doors at 8am and has invited anyone with an interest in the eclipse to come along to view the spectacle.

David Paterson, secretary of the Dundee Astronomical Society, said: “We’re opening early at the observatory that day, and we’d love as many people as possible to come down.

“Because the moon orbits the Earth once a month, you’d think there should be an eclipse every month too. However, because the moon orbits at an angle, it’s only very occasionally that it is in the right position to cover the sun.

“One important thing people need to know is that it is still very dangerous to look at the sun, even when it’s covered. It’s still extremely unsafe and can really damage your eyes.

“I’m sure there will be someone in Dundee selling special eclipse glasses soon, and I would urge anyone who wants to see it to get a pair. No one should be looking at it with the naked eye.

“Although it’s not a total eclipse, it will get quite dark like twilight. You’ll be able to see the moon slowly pass over, and eventually cover most of the sun.”