Any news I had has been eclipsed by Chris’s email about the partial eclipse back home – I didn’t even know that we (they, as I’m on the other side of the world) were expecting one. Did you? This is an excerpt, with photographs,  from Chris’s email about the exciting event:

The Country’s gone eclipse-mad here – we were expecting an 89% coverage
of the sun here in Devon (not like the 99% one we had back in 1999) –
but everyone was ready with their old 20th century eclipse-viewing
glasses – yes, even I managed to dig a pair out of the man-drawer! – but
really all to no avail.  The moment of darkness drew near, but the sky
remained stubbornly covered with misty cloud, and not a peek of our
shining celestial neighbour was to be seen!  It did, however, get a bit
gloomy, though not pitch-black by any means, so it felt a bit eerie, if
not spectacular.  I was just about to pack in the viewing arrangements,
however, when the cloud decided to thin a little and – lo and behold! –
there was a silver sliver (love those words!) of sun showing up there,
well past the maximum coverage, but visible nonetheless. I rushed back
in for the camera, which I has  already put away (cute – he sounds like the B.F.G.), and pointed it hurriedly at the sky in the hope of catching something.

And here are the results… (Thanks to our on the spot reporter back in Devon. As you may be aware, my husband is a bit of a closet meteorologist and astronomer.)