The Met Office has identified the prime locations across the UK to witness the most significant solar eclipse in over half a century. On Wednesday, August 12, the moon will obscure more than 90 per cent of the sun across most of the country, with the fullest coverage occurring between 6.17pm and 8.06pm.
This celestial event marks the greatest obscuration of the sun over Britain since the total eclipse of 1999. According to the Met Office, Devon, Cornwall, and the westernmost parts of Pembrokeshire in Wales are set to experience the eclipse at its peak, with between 94 per cent and 96 per cent of the sun being blocked by the moon.
Regional coverage details
Plymouth is forecast to see 94.66 per cent coverage at 7.16pm, while Cardiff will experience 93.24 per cent at 7.13pm, and Belfast 93.09 per cent at 7.08pm. The rest of Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of the West Midlands, the southwest, and western Scotland will see between 92 per cent and 94 per cent coverage.
For Birmingham, the Met Office predicts 91.79 per cent obscuration at 7.12pm. London will see 91.41 per cent at 7.13pm, Inverness 90.74 per cent at 7.03pm, Edinburgh 90.71 per cent at 7.06pm, and Newcastle 90.22 per cent at 7.07pm. Easternmost areas, including the coasts of Norfolk, Yorkshire, Aberdeenshire, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands, will experience slightly lower coverage of 88 to 90 per cent.
Safety warnings from experts
The Royal Greenwich Observatory has issued a stark warning that regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the eclipse. Imo Bell, planetarium astronomer at the observatory, emphasised the rarity and excitement of the event: "It's not a total eclipse, but over 90 per cent 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."
Bell stressed the dangers of improper viewing: "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, because that's how much light they need to block for the damaging light of the sun to be safe to view."
Recommended viewing methods
For those without specialised equipment, Bell suggested alternative safe methods: "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."
Bell also advised on positioning: "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."
Future eclipses and global perspective
The next time the moon will obscure as much of the sun will be in 2081, and the next total solar eclipse in the UK will not occur until 2090. Meanwhile, a total eclipse will be visible in Reykjavik, Iceland, and several Spanish cities including Oviedo, Zaragoza, Bilbao, and Valencia, where the moon will fully obscure the sun.
As the event approaches, astronomers and enthusiasts alike urge the public to prepare safely and seize this rare opportunity to witness a spectacular astronomical phenomenon.
