Stargazers across Scotland are preparing for a rare partial solar eclipse on Wednesday evening, but forecasters warn that clouds could obscure the view for many. The Met Office says eastern areas such as Aberdeenshire, Angus and Moray are most likely to have clear skies.
Eclipse timing and coverage
More than 90% of the sun will be obscured by the moon between about 6pm and 8.15pm on August 12 – the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999. It is expected to be the fullest eclipse over local skies until 2081.
The eclipse will begin shortly after 6pm, with the peak extent of the sun's coverage occurring at slightly different times across the country. The Met Office said it will peak in Inverness at 7.03pm, when 90.74% of the sun will be obscured, while in Edinburgh the peak will come at 7.06pm, when 90.71% of the sun will be covered. Some western areas will see more than 92% coverage.
Cloud forecast and viewing events
However, in a blow to stargazers, forecasters have warned the rare event is likely to be hidden behind clouds for many. The Met Office said eastern areas such as Aberdeenshire, Angus and Moray are most likely to have clear skies, and there may also be breaks in cloud cover in the central belt and southern Scotland. But a weather front means north-western areas are likely to remain cloudy throughout the evening.
Viewing events are set to take place across Scotland. The Royal Astronomical Society will host visitors at the observatory on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, where stargazers will be given free eclipse glasses and be able to look through a solar telescope. Other events include at the Red Burn Farm in Glasgow and the Dark Space Planetarium in Kirkcudbright. Further north, events include the Tomintoul Skyhide Stargazing Pavilion in Ballindalloch and Mosstowie Primary School in Elgin. Events are also planned on some of Scotland's islands, including at Midhowe Broch Car Park, Rousay, Orkney, and at Ardminish on the Isle of Gigha.
Safety warnings
A Met Office spokesperson said: “A weather front will likely keep north-western areas of the country cloudy throughout the evening. Meanwhile, those towards the east, such as in Aberdeenshire, Angus and Moray, should have better viewing chances with the likelihood of more cloud breaks. The cloud forecast across the central belt and southern Scotland is expected to be less thick than that in the north-west. Therefore, there is still some possibility that it manages to break at points during the evening.”
Experts have reminded people not to look directly at the sun, with even brief exposure causing lasting vision damage. Following the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the eclipse, and around 40% had looked at it for less than a minute. Experts said only special solar eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 certified for the safest eye protection should be used to view it directly. A list of viewing events can be found at https://ukeclipse.com/.
