Solar Eclipse Approaches: UK Prepares for Partial View
Safety warnings issued as 96% coverage expected across British Isles on 12 August, with specific timings for London.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
A solar eclipse will occur on 12 August, bringing a significant astronomical event to the UK.
The celestial event will present with coverage reaching an impressive 96 percent across the region.
Directly viewing the Sun during an eclipse, even when dimmed, risks lasting eye damage; urgent safety warnings have been issued.
First contact in London occurs at 6:17 PM, precisely marking the beginning of this celestial alignment.
Cornwall anticipates approximately 95 percent coverage. Pembrokeshire will experience around 94 percent of the Sun obscured.
The Moon will not fully block the Sun's light during this UK partial solar eclipse; it will slowly move across the Sun, covering roughly 90% of its surface.
Regular sunglasses or makeshift filters offer no protection for your eyes. They pose a significant risk to viewers.
A pinhole projector provides a safe, indirect viewing method, securing observation without direct exposure.
The European Space Agency, NASA, and the Virtual Telescope Project will offer online coverage of the event for those unable to view it safely in person.
The next total solar eclipse visible from the UK is projected for 2090. The only eclipse approaching totality for the British Isles before then will occur on September 3, 2081.
Separately, the Perseids, an annual meteor shower, occurs when Earth passes through debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle, offering another celestial spectacle this year.
During totality, one may view the Sun without proper eye protection. However, during all other phases of the eclipse, eyes must remain protected when looking at the Sun.