Total eclipse of the heart
Only 11 partial, annular, or total eclipses have been visible from the British Isles since 2003.
The UK last witnessed a total solar eclipse in 1999, and won’t get another full solar eclipse for another 65 years.
According to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the next full solar eclipse will grace the UK skies on September 23, 2090.
Once in 18-months phenomenon
A partial solar eclipse only happens once every 18 months.
The next partial eclipse will be visible from the UK on 12 August 2026.
What is a solar eclipse?
A partial eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth – but the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly aligned.
This means that only part of the Sun is hidden by the Moon.
How to watch the eclipse safely
The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers.
Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the Sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight.
Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device.
