The Met Office has revealed the best UK locations to view the partial solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12, with western areas set to see the most coverage.
Best viewing spots in the west
Devon, Cornwall, and the westernmost parts of Pembrokeshire in Wales are expected to see the eclipse at its fullest, with 94 to 96 per cent of the sun obscured by the moon. Plymouth is forecast to see 94.66 per cent coverage at 7.16pm.
The rest of Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of the West Midlands and the South West, and the westernmost parts of Scotland can expect 92 to 94 per cent coverage. In Cardiff, the moon will obscure 93.24 per cent of the sun at 7.13pm, while in Belfast it will cover 93.09 per cent at 7.08pm.
Coverage across the rest of the UK
Skygazers in the rest of the UK will likely see 90 to 92 per cent coverage, with 91.79 per cent expected in Birmingham at 7.12pm, 91.41 per cent in London at 7.13pm, 90.74 per cent in Inverness at 7.03pm, 90.71 per cent in Edinburgh at 7.06pm, and 90.22 per cent in Newcastle at 7.07pm.
Those keen to catch the fullest eclipse should avoid the easternmost parts of the UK, where only 88 to 90 per cent coverage is expected, including the coasts of Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Aberdeenshire, as well as the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
Safety advice from astronomers
Imo Bell, a planetarium astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, has advised those planning to watch the eclipse to "be prepared."
"You can’t just go out and expect to have a look because it’s really dangerous for your eyes," Ms Bell said. "So, you can use solar eclipse glasses, which are very, very different from sunglasses – they block out so much light that you can’t see anything through them except the sun, because that’s how much light they need to block for the damaging light of the sun to be safe to view."
She added that a solar telescope is an ideal way to witness it, and if that's not available, people can check if their local astronomy society is holding events. "And if all else fails, you can project the image of the eclipse using a household item like a colander which has lots of holes in – point the colander towards the Sun with your back facing it, and in the shadow of the colander you’ll be able to see the eclipse in the holes, which is really cool."
Ms Bell advised getting to a vantage point facing west, with minimal buildings around, as the best way to view the eclipse. "We might notice the sky getting a little bit dark, so if you’re looking safely, it’ll look a bit like the moon is taking a bite out of the sun, you’ll see something that looks a bit like a crescent sun."
Perseid meteor shower follows
The peak of the Perseid meteor shower, one of the most spectacular of the year, falls overnight on August 12-13. It's best viewed between midnight and 5.30am, according to Royal Museums Greenwich, with up to 150 meteors an hour lighting up the sky.
