A partial solar eclipse will darken the sky this evening (August 12), and you can watch it from your sofa via multiple livestreams. The moon will travel directly across the sun, with Scotland seeing over 90 per cent coverage in some areas.
Livestream options for the eclipse
Several space and astronomy agencies will livestream the event on social media, offering views from the partial eclipse in Edinburgh to the total eclipse in Spain. The UK will experience a partial eclipse, with the path of totality over Iceland, Greenland, and Northern Spain.
The moon's journey across the sun will begin just after 6pm and continue until 8pm. Inverness is expected to see the biggest bite at approximately 7:03pm, according to the Met Office, while Edinburgh will be slightly later at 7:05pm.
TV and online coverage
While no TV channels have officially scheduled eclipse programmes, the BBC is likely to have coverage during its BBC News programme starting at 6pm. ITV will host a livestream on its News YouTube channel from 6pm to 8pm, also available on ITV X from 6:20pm.
NASA will stream views of the eclipse on YouTube, beginning at 6:15pm, with extra information on what causes a solar eclipse. The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh will host its own livestream at 6pm, and the European Space Agency will host two livestreams from Spain, starting at 6:30pm. The Royal Observatory Greenwich in London will also hold an event beginning at 6:10pm.
With the next full solar eclipse not expected in the UK until 2090, this is a rare chance to view the phenomenon, whether outdoors or from the sofa.
