Solar eclipse 2026: Exact times it will happen in London and how to watch it safely

The UK will see its most complete solar eclipse in over a quarter of a century on August 12.

The phenomenon means the moon will pass directly between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light almost entirely.

It is estimated that around 90% of the sun will be covered by the moon, triggering a rare and stunning natural phenomenon.

There won’t be a better eclipse in Britain until 2090, so you won’t want to miss this one.

But the phenomenon is not without its risks and Londoners should take care as they try to catch a glimpse.

The last total solar eclipse which could be seen from the UK was in 1999

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Here is everything you need to know about the solar eclipse.

Eclipses occur when the moon blocks the sun, roughly every six months. Though the sun is some 400 times larger than the moon, it is 400 times further away.

However, this year is different, as the moon will almost entirely block the sun.

When is the solar eclipse and what is the best time to watch?

This year’s solar eclipse will begin at 6:17pm on August 12 for those based in London, Bristol, and Cardiff.

The height of the eclipse is expected at 7:13pm for Londoners and it will last around 1 hour and 49 minutes until 8:06pm.

For those in Manchester and Liverpool, the eclipse will commence at 6:13pm, while for those in Scotland, the eclipse will begin closer to 6:08pm.

Some European countries, like Greenland and Iceland, are set to experience a total eclipse.

How to watch the eclipse safely

Partial solar eclipses carry more risks than total solar eclipses, because the latter involves the sun being entirely covered, albeit only briefly.

Local school kids wear protective glasses to watch a partial solar eclipse from Greenwich park in 2015

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During a partial solar eclipse, it is never safe to look at the sun without eye protection, even though it looks as though it is being blocked by the moon.

“The glasses you use must comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Glasses that have reached this safety standard will have the ISO standard printed on them, and they will have a manufacturer’s report showing their compliance based on rigorous testing. They must also be free of any perforations or folds in the silvered lenses, as any damage to them risks making them unsafe to use,” Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explains.

Best solar eclipse glasses

“Do not under any circumstances use ordinary sunglasses – not only do these not provide the necessary protection from the sun’s light, but the little light that they do block will make viewing the sun feel more comfortable even while the risk is still very much present.

Solar eclipse glasses have a special silver filter that blocks all but one part in 100,000 of the sun’s light, with some transmitting even less than that. They also specifically reduce the ultraviolet radiation down to safe levels, making the light of the sun safe to observe,” Dr Brown continues.

Alternatively, the Royal Observatory is livestreaming the eclipse for free so you can watch safely.

You can also check with your local astronomical society to see if they’re running any eclipse-viewing events on August 12 or you can build your own pinhole projector.