Scotland set to enjoy boost from 'astro-tourists' with best solar eclipse in sixty years

It is also expected to be one of the best eclipses which most people will have ever seen north of the border - with the last total eclipse visible in Scotland occurring in back in 1954.

Around 2,500 cruise ship passengers on special voyages are expected to stop off in the north of Scotland on their way to the Faroe Islands, which will be the only place to experience a total eclipse.

Viewing events are also being held in Scotland- including at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve on Shetland, which will experience some of the darkest conditions.

Watchers will be hoping for clear conditions to get the best view of the sun slowly disappearing. The Met Office said it will not be able to issue an accurate prediction of the weather until tomorrow.

But to avoid any bad weather conditions spoiling the event, a special observation flight will leave from Glasgow airport to guarantee witnessing the sight by flying above any clouds.

Operator Omega Holidays said it had long since sold-out, but among those on board will be three members of the Tweeddale Astronomical Society, in the Scottish Borders.

Chair Dr Tom Johnston, who will be travelling with colleagues Stephen Scott and Steven Litster, said seeing a total eclipse was on a lot of people's 'bucket list'.

He said: "I have never seen one myself and that is why it took me about two seconds to decide that I wanted to take a seat.

"It is difficult to guarantee the weather obviously so the flight is the one way you can be sure you are not going to get clouded out and you will actually see the event."

The plane will only be half-full, so that all passengers will have a chance to have a window view and see the total eclipse, which will last just under three minutes and give witnesses the chance to see the outer atmosphere of the sun, known as the corona.

Johnston, who paid around £500 for his seat, joked it was going to be a "bit of a scramble" to get the best view. He added: "I think it will only really get heated whenever it gets to the point of totality, so everyone will want to have a look at that and it won't last very long unfortunately. I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement."

When it comes to being back on land, experts say that Scotland won't be plunged into complete darkness - but warn people should not look directly at the sun to try to see the eclipse.

Dr John Davies, staff astronomer at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, said the shadow cast where the moon blocks the sun exactly - known as the path of totality - would fall between Scotland and Iceland, with the only landfall being in the Faroe Islands.

But he added: "Either side of that very narrow band there is a much wider band where the moon covers progressively less of the sun and Scotland is sitting in that band, which is where the partial eclipse occurs.

"We are quite close to the centre line, so a lot of the sun will be covered up. The further south you go, the smaller that fraction gets. What you will see is a thin crescent of sunlight - and the further north you are, the more of the sun will be covered."

Davies said the eclipse would begin around 8.30am in the morning, with the maximum coverage of the sun expected around 9.35am and it would end by 10.44am.

But he warned: "It is essential that people understand they should not look directly at the sun.

"Even though around 90% of the sun will be obscured, the 10% that is still going to be visible is quite enough to damage your eyes.

"So people must use proper solar filter glasses from a reputable astronomy supplier, or project the eclipse onto a piece of cardboard."

Steve Mathieson, VisitScotland's island manager on Shetland, said: "The solar eclipse is a hugely exciting and rare phenomenon, and Shetland, in particular, is in the right place at the right time.

"We will have 97 per cent darkness on Shetland during the eclipse so this will be one of the best places in the whole of the UK in to witness the phenomenon."