A visitor looks at solar eclipse posters displayed for sale at the tourist office, in Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The Faeroe Islands, a semi-autonomous Danish archipelago, and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, are the only two places in the world where, cloud cover permitting, a total solar eclipse can be viewed from land on Friday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)(The Associated Press)

Two women, walk beside the harbor, in Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The Faeroe Islands, a semi-autonomous Danish archipelago, and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, are the only two places in the world where, cloud cover permitting, a total solar eclipse can be viewed from land on Friday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)(The Associated Press)

A woman walks along a coastal road in Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The Faeroe Islands, a semi-autonomous Danish archipelago, and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, are the only two places in the world where, cloud cover permitting, a total solar eclipse can be viewed from land on Friday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)(The Associated Press)

Meteorologist Soren Jacobsen points towards the Faeroe Islands on a graphic showing the weather forecast for 09:00 GMT, approximately 40 minutes before Friday's total solar eclipse over the Faeroe Islands during a press conference in Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The Faeroe Islands, a semi-autonomous Danish archipelago, and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, are the only two places in the world where, cloud cover permitting, a total solar eclipse can be viewed from land on Friday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)(The Associated Press)

Solar eclipse postcards are displayed for sale at the tourist office, in Torshavn, the capital city of the Faeroe Islands, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. The Faeroe Islands, a semi-autonomous Danish archipelago, and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, are the only two places in the world where, cloud cover permitting, a total solar eclipse can be viewed from land on Friday morning. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)(The Associated Press)

TORSHAVN, Faeroe Islands For months, even years, accommodation on the remote Faeroe Islands has been booked out by fans who don't want to miss an almost three-minute-long astronomical sensation. Now they just have to hope the clouds will blow away so they can fully experience Friday's brief total solar eclipse.

Scores of eclipse chasers and scientists have invaded the archipelago armed with telescopes, cameras and glasses for safe direct solar viewing ahead of the big event.

The weather forecast is better more than 2,000 kilometers (1,270 miles) to the northeast, in the Arctic islands of Svalbard, where spectators can hope for a clear day. The full eclipse will only be seen in a narrow path across the northern hemisphere, reaching the Faeroes at 0945 GMT on Friday.

"This is our 10th total eclipse. We love to watch them and being able to look at the corona with your eyes in the middle of the eclipse is really an exciting moment, to experience the diamond rings coming and going," said Les Anderson, a 60-year-old from San Diego, California, in Torshavn, capital of the Faeroes.

The population of the 18 rocky islands between Scotland and Iceland has swelled by approximately 10,000 for a few days from its normal 48,000 souls.

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Total solar eclipse fans invade Faeroe Islands for a rare glimpse of blackout