When UK’s most complete solar eclipse in 27 years will be visible this week - and how to watch livestream

A partial solar eclipse - with around 90 to 96% coverage - will be visible from the UK on Wednesday.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK on Wednesday August 12, with around 90 to 96% of the Sun covered by the Moon.

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, Wednesday’s solar eclipse will be the most coverage seen from the UK since the 1999 solar eclipse. The next total solar eclipse visible from the UK will not be until 2090, with the only eclipse that’ll come close to total for the British Isles beforehand being September 2081 - when up to 99% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon.

What a solar eclipse is

A solar eclipse happens when the Earth, Moon and Sun align. The Moon passes in front of the Sun, blocking its light and casting a small shadow on Earth.

A total solar eclipse is when the Sun is fully covered by the Moon. A partial solar eclipse is when a portion of the Sun is covered by the Moon.

Watch our 60-second partial solar eclipse video explainer in the player above, detailing what a solar eclipse is, when to see it this week and how to view it safely.

What to expect from Wednesday’s solar eclipse

During late afternoon on Wednesday, the Moon and the Sun will gradually move closer together in the sky.

After 6pm (timings vary slightly for different parts of the UK), ‘first contact’ - when the Moon first covers part of the Sun - will occur. The Moon will move slowly in front of the Sun until roughly 90% of the Sun is covered (the eclipse’s maximum). This will be after 7pm, again timings differ slightly depending on where in the UK you are.

How dark will it get during Wednesday’s solar eclipse

At the eclipse’s maximum, enough of the Sun will be covered to make a noticeable difference in the temperature and light levels. However, unlike with a total eclipse, the sky will not become dark. It will feel more like a cloudy day or close to dusk or dawn.

After the maximum, the Moon will begin to move off the Sun’s disk until the eclipse ends at 8pm or after.

Why it’s important to watch a solar eclipse safely

The Sun appears dimmer than usual during an eclipse. The reduced brightness of the Sun can override the body's natural reflex to look away - allowing intense sunlight to reach and damage the retina. The damage happens without causing pain so you may not realise it’s occurring until too late.

Why sunglasses are not adequate protection for watching a solar eclipse

Ordinary sunglasses - no matter how dark - don’t provide adequate protection for watching a solar eclipse. Sunglasses reduce glare, making it feel more comfortable to look at the Sun for longer, while still allowing harmful solar radiation to reach the retina. Never use regular sunglasses to look at the Sun during an eclipse.

How to watch a solar eclipse safely

There are two safe ways to watch a solar eclipse - specialist eclipse viewers or indirect viewing methods.

If using eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, make sure they are genuine with specially designed filters that meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E). Don’t use the product if you’re unsure it’s certified or if the lenses are scratched, torn or damaged.

You can watch the eclipse indirectly by using a pinhole viewer (which you can make at home), viewing the Sun's image projected through a colander or the gaps between tree leaves or projecting the Sun's image onto a sheet of paper using a simple pinhole projector.

The times the solar eclipse will be visible from the UK

The exact timings of Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse depend on where in the UK you are.

Edinburgh and Glasgow

‘First contact’ - 6.08pm

Eclipse maximum - 7.05pm

End of eclipse - 8pm

Galway and Dublin

‘First contact’ - 6.12pm

Eclipse maximum - 7.10pm

End of eclipse - 8.05pm to 8.06pm

Manchester and Liverpool

‘First contact’ - 6.13pm

Eclipse maximum - 7.10pm

End of eclipse - 8.03pm to 8.04pm

Norwich and Birmingham

‘First contact’ - 6.15pm

Eclipse maximum - 7.11pm

End of eclipse - 8.04pm

London, Bristol and Cardiff

‘First contact’ - 6.17pm

Eclipse maximum - 7.12pm

End of eclipse - 8.06pm

Cornwall

‘First contact’ - 6.18pm

Eclipse maximum - 7.16pm

End of eclipse - 8.10pm

How to watch Wednesday’s solar eclipse live

From 6.10pm, two live streams will be broadcast from the roof of Flamsteed House at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.