The Met Office has revealed the top spots to witness the UK's most complete solar eclipse in 54 years on August 12, with Devon and Cornwall emerging as the ultimate destinations for this celestial spectacle.
More than 90% of the sun will be hidden by the moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm, marking the greatest blockage seen in British skies since the total eclipse of 1999.
Best viewing locations
Devon, Cornwall and the far western reaches of Pembrokeshire in Wales are poised to experience the eclipse at its peak, with between 94% and 96% of the sun concealed by the moon. Plymouth is predicted to witness the moon blocking 94.66% of the sun at 7.16pm, the Met Office reports.
The remainder of Wales, Northern Ireland, sections of the West Midlands and South West, plus Scotland's westernmost areas can anticipate seeing 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 probably witness the moon blocking 90% to 92% of the sun, with 91.79% anticipated 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 most eager to glimpse the fullest possible eclipse should steer clear of the UK's easternmost regions, where merely 88% to 90% of solar coverage is forecast. These encompass the coastlines of Norfolk, Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire, along with the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
Safety advice and future eclipses
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, said: "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 advised using solar eclipse glasses, which block out much more light than sunglasses, or a solar telescope. As an alternative, she suggested projecting the image using a household item like a colander.
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. Bell recommended finding a viewpoint facing west, with as few buildings as possible, for optimal viewing.
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.
