The Met Office has identified the best locations to witness the UK's most complete solar eclipse in 54 years this Wednesday, with Devon and Cornwall emerging as top destinations for the celestial event.
More than 90% of the sun will be hidden by the moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on August 12, marking the greatest blockage in British skies since the total eclipse of 1999.
Prime viewing spots
Devon, Cornwall and the far western reaches of Pembrokeshire in Wales are set to experience the eclipse at its peak, with between 94% and 96% of the sun concealed by the moon.
Plymouth specifically is predicted to see the moon block 94.66% of the sun at 7.16pm on Wednesday, according to the Met Office.
The rest of Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of the West Midlands and South West, plus Scotland's westernmost areas can expect 92% to 94% solar coverage. In Cardiff, the moon is expected to hide 93.24% of the sun at 7.13pm, while in Belfast it will mask 93.09% at 7.08pm.
Coverage across the UK
Stargazers elsewhere across the UK will likely see the moon block 90% to 92% of the sun – with 91.79% expected in Birmingham at 7.12pm, 91.41% in London at 7.13pm, 90.74% in Inverness at 7.03pm, 90.71% in Edinburgh at 7.06pm and 90.22% in Newcastle at 7.07pm.
Those hoping for the fullest possible eclipse should avoid the UK's easternmost regions, where only 88% to 90% coverage is forecast. These include the coastlines of Norfolk, Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire, along with the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
Safety warnings
The Royal Greenwich Observatory has cautioned that ordinary sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection to safely observe the event.
Imo Bell, a planetarium astronomer at the observatory, told the Press Association: "It's not a total eclipse, but over 90% is really exciting. We're not going to get one this good for a really long time."
"So, it's important not to miss it, and to be prepared. You can't just go out and expect to have a look because it's really dangerous for your eyes."
She advised using 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."
"Ideally a solar telescope is an amazing way to witness it, and if you don't have one of them then you can look into whether your local astronomy society is doing any 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."
Future eclipses
The next occasion when the moon will obscure as much of the sun will be in 2081, and the subsequent total solar eclipse in the UK will occur in 2090.
Ms Bell recommended finding a viewpoint facing west, with as few buildings as possible, for the optimal viewing experience. "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."
Reykjavik in Iceland and Spanish cities A Coruna, Oviedo, Zaragoza, Bilbao and Valencia will witness a total eclipse on Wednesday, where the moon completely blocks out the sun.
