The UK will witness its fullest solar eclipse in 54 years on Wednesday, with over 90% of the Sun obscured by the Moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on August 12. This is the most significant coverage since the total eclipse in 1999.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory has warned that sunglasses are not safe for viewing the phenomenon. Instead, they recommend using solar eclipse glasses or projecting the image through a household colander.
Expert Advice on Safe Viewing
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.”
Bell emphasized the importance of preparation: “You can’t just go out and expect to have a look because it’s really dangerous for your eyes. 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.”
For those without specialized equipment, Bell suggested a simple trick: “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.”
Timing and Viewing Tips
The maximum point of coverage is expected at around 7.13pm. Bell advised finding a vantage point facing west, with minimal buildings, for the best view. “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,” she said.
The next time the Moon obscures as much of the Sun will be in 2081, and the next total solar eclipse in the UK will be in 2090.
Weather and Global Visibility
The Met Office said it was too early to predict the clearest skies, but its long-term forecast suggested more changeable conditions in the north, with showers and stronger winds, while parts of the south would see warm and dry conditions.
Bell added: “It’ll be a nice, long event which is really exciting. The Sun’s going to be really quite close to the horizon because it will be setting at that point towards the western horizon. So it’s really important that viewers from the UK find a good view of the western horizon and make sure their view of the Sun isn’t blocked by any buildings or hills.”
Elsewhere, Reykjavik in Iceland and Spanish cities A Coruna, Oviedo, Zaragoza, Bilbao, and Valencia will experience a total eclipse, where the Moon fully obscures the Sun.
