Tonight's solar eclipse will be the UK's fullest since 1999, with the moon obscuring over 90% of the sun. The spectacle runs from 6:08pm until 8:06pm, with maximum coverage expected shortly after 7pm for most of the country.
Best locations in Scotland
The Met Office has confirmed that the west of Scotland is the best location to view the solar eclipse. Those on the Western Isles and along the west coast, including Glasgow, are predicted to see between 92% and 94% of the sun obscured, though cloud cover may hinder visibility.
Inverness will see around 90.74% coverage, while Edinburgh will see 90.71%. Parts of Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Shetland may see slightly less, but they are showing the clearest sky windows on the forecast, offering the best chance of breaks in the cloud with 88% to 90% coverage.
Peak times across Scotland
The eclipse will peak shortly after 7pm for most areas. Inverness and Aberdeen will reach peak at 7:03pm, Fort William and Dundee at 7:04pm, Edinburgh at 7:05pm, and Glasgow at 7:06pm. Lerwick in the Shetland Islands will peak at 6:58pm.
Specific times from Timeanddate.com include:
- Glasgow: partial begins 18:08:40, maximum 19:06:05, partial ends 20:00:35
- Edinburgh: partial begins 18:08:42, maximum 19:05:52, partial ends 20:00:09
- Aberdeen: partial begins 18:06:40, maximum 19:03:39, partial ends 19:57:51
- Inverness: partial begins 18:05:39, maximum 19:03:10, partial ends 19:57:51
- Perth: partial begins 18:07:50, maximum 19:05:06, partial ends 19:59:28
- Dundee: partial begins 18:07:47, maximum 19:04:57, partial ends 19:59:13
- Stirling: partial begins 18:08:15, maximum 19:05:37, partial ends 20:00:04
Safety guidance
Viewers are warned never to look directly at the sun without special eclipse safety glasses or a DIY projector. Standard sunglasses do not offer adequate protection. The UKHSA has warned that genuine eclipse glasses will feature a safety certification of 'ISO 12312-2' or 'ISO 12312-2:2015(E)' printed on them; if not, they should not be used.
