The UK and parts of Europe are getting ready for the most significant solar eclipse since 1999.
More than 90% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon for most of the UK, while parts of Iceland and Spain will witness a rare total eclipse.
In the UK some will be able to view the eclipse from shortly after 18:00 BST before it peaks an hour or so later.
With excitement building, one shopkeeper reports selling thousands of special eclipse glasses as people try to get a pair before this evening.
Experts say watchers should not look directly at the Sun without protection or you risk seriously damaging your eyes.
The eclipse's path will start in Siberia in Russia, travelling to Alaska in the US around 07:30 local time (16:30 BST) - it will then sweep round to Greenland and through Europe.
In the store window of Specsavers on Argyle Street – one of the main shopping streets in the city centre – a sign read: “We do not sell glasses for watching the solar eclipse.”
Opticians said they had taken a lot of calls, with people desperately asking whether they had any eclipse glasses.
But customers have had no luck as many shops made the decision not to stock the protective eyewear.
Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers, said: "With the type of glasses required for viewing the eclipse, being a single-use item and designed for a relatively rare event, we've decided not to produce or supply them this time as it's not the most sustainable choice for us."
He added people should only buy genuine products from reputable sellers and not use an old pair of eclipse glasses until they have been checked for damage.
There are also multiple signs dotted on the shop window of another retailer: “Sorry, we are SOLD OUT of solar eclipse glasses,” the notice read.
A camera shop in Colwyn Bay, Conwy, has been overwhelmed by the demand for the special glasses which allow people to look at the solar eclipse.
Cambrian Photography had people queuing out of the door and down the street as customers snapped up 500 pairs in just a few hours this morning.
"We could never have expected this in a month of Sundays," says shop manager Joel Longbone.
He says that after fifty pairs of the glasses sold out in three minutes yesterday, the shop ordered another 500 pairs to be delivered by courier. But by around 11:00 BST, the shop had sold out with disappointed customers having to be turned away as they remained queuing outside.
"We were limiting it to two pairs a customer," explains Joel, who adds that he had tried to arrange meeting their supplier at a half-way point in order to get more stock in but without success.
Rachel Worrilow, originally from Colwyn Bay but home from Mallorca, one of the best spots to see the eclipse, spent 40 minutes queuing before giving up.
"I just feel like I would miss out if I didn't watch it - FOMO rather than actual curiosity," she says, explaining that she could have bought some of the specialist eyewear in Spain for one euro instead of the £4.99 being charged this morning.
"I missed my chance to see the full eclipse with €1 glasses," she says, adding that she was very surprised how many people had turned up to try and buy the glasses in Colwyn Bay this morning.
