The spectacle, known as the Blood Moon, is caused by the alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun and was last clearly visible in Cornwall in 1992 and won’t appear again until 2033.
A group of around 45 pupils and parents stayed up overnight to watch the spectacle, along with an expert team from the Roseland Observatory. A range of telescopes were in action with the largest being a 10” Dobsonian.
During the night, the pupils caught up with eclipse-watchers around the world speaking to a school in Germany, enthusiasts in the Shetlands and even a space centre in Nigeria.
Hot pasties generously donated by St Ives Bakery kept spirits warm on what was thankfully a dry and mild night.
Truro High’s Head of Science, Jon Dean, said: “It was a delight to see so many of the girls staying up to witness the eclipse which clearly captured the imaginations of pupils of all ages from 7 to 17. Our Astronomy Club has been a big hit and some of our girls are so enthralled by the subject that they are now taking Astronomy GCSEs.”
