Swindon man Robert Slack was among many keen astronomers who travelled to the USA this week to see the solar eclipse.

Robert Slack who is a member of Swindon Stargazers Astronomy Society witnessed the eclipse from Kentucky as the shadow of the moon sped across the entire width of the United States from Oregon in the west, across 14 states to the Carolinas in the east.

Robert and his wife travelled to Kentucky from the UK especially to catch the celestial phenomenon.

"The last total eclipse of the sun we witnessed was way back in 1999, here in the UK," said Robert.

"And during this eclipse while in Guthrie, Kentucky, I wear my 1999 t shirt as a homage to the great UK eclipse.

" Back then we had travelled to Dartmouth, Devon. Sadly that eclipse fell victim to the British weather and was largely clouded out.

"We were lucky enough this time to team up with members of the Austin Peay State University faculty from Clarksville Tennessee. They welcomed us and help us out a great deal.

"At around 1.15 local time we witnessed the light dropping and the extreme heat of the day relenting before the weird darkness of totality descended on the sleepy railway town.

"Whoops and claps surrounded us, before everyone fell silent under the spell of that wondrous site of the sun’s atmosphere, the corona. We cannot normally see the sun’s corona, due to the glare of it’s intense and dangerous rays. But as the Moon moved between the Earth and the Sun, in an example of celestial mechanics, the glare was blocked out for two minutes and 38 seconds, revealing a blue ish misty ring around the inky dark disc of the Moon.

"Just as in 1999, we heard the birds fall silent and the crickets here in the USA start their nightly cacophony of noise. Then as the the second diamond ring herald the return of day, the birds welcomed the new day mark 2 with a second dawn chorus."

Robert said: "We have planned for this trip for three years and are really pleased we choose this part of the USA to witness the wonders of nature. The locals here have welcomed us

The USA will see one more solar eclipse in April 2024, but before that the next will cross Chile and Argentina in 2019.