Swiss eclipsed by clouds

Bad weather scuppered many people's chances of catching a glimpse of the eagerly-awaited partial eclipse of the sun in Switzerland.

Astronomers and enthusiasts flocked to observatories to witness the phenomenon, but the best views were to be had in parts of western, northeastern and the Italian-speaking part of the country.

While most of Europe saw a partial eclipse of the sun, a total one was witnessed in the northern hemisphere.

The stellar spectacle - when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth - began in Canada, tracked across Greenland and Siberia, before ending in China. Thousands of people watched.

The last total eclipse of the sun in central Europe took place in 1999. The next in Switzerland is scheduled for 2081.