Today brings an exciting celestial event to look forward to, with a partial solar eclipse visible from the UK on Wednesday 12 August — weather permitting!
During the eclipse, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out more than 90% of the Sun at maximum coverage from parts of the UK. For those viewing from Nottinghamshire, around 92% of the Sun will be covered at the peak of the eclipse.
This makes it a particularly exciting event for UK skywatchers, especially as the last total solar eclipse visible from the UK took place in August 1999.
Solar eclipses have fascinated people for thousands of years. Long before we understood the science behind them, an eclipse could seem mysterious and even frightening, as daylight suddenly disappeared and the Sun appeared to be swallowed by darkness.
Ancient civilisations carefully recorded eclipses, and they became an important part of early astronomy. Over time, observations helped astronomers understand that eclipses occur in predictable cycles, allowing future events to be calculated with remarkable accuracy.
In the UK, one of the most memorable eclipses in recent history was the total solar eclipse of 11 August 1999. The path of totality crossed parts of Cornwall and Devon before continuing across Europe, and millions of people across the UK attempted to witness the event. Unfortunately, cloud and rain meant that many observers saw little more than dark skies!
The 1999 eclipse remains particularly significant because it was the last total solar eclipse visible from the UK. Although several partial eclipses have been visible since then, none has provided the same experience of the Sun being completely covered.
The 12 August 2026 eclipse won’t be total from the UK, but with around 92% coverage expected from Nottinghamshire, it will still provide an impressive reminder of just how dramatic the movement of the Moon, Earth and Sun can appear from here on Earth.
The eclipse will last for around 1 hour and 50 minutes, from first contact through to the Sun returning to full visibility.
While timings vary slightly depending on where you are in the UK, the approximate timings for Nottinghamshire are:
The Sun will be fairly low in the western sky during the eclipse, so if you’re hoping to see it, try to find a location with a clear, unobstructed view of the western horizon. Sunset is expected at around 8:39pm.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, casting its shadow across part of the Earth’s surface.
Although the Sun is vastly larger than the Moon, it is also much further away. This unusual combination of size and distance means that, from Earth, the two can appear remarkably similar in size in the sky.
When the alignment is just right, the Moon can completely cover the Sun, creating a total solar eclipse. When the alignment is slightly different, only part of the Sun is covered, producing a partial solar eclipse like the one we’ll see from the UK on 12 August.
Never look directly at the Sun without suitable protection. Even when most of the Sun is covered, the remaining sunlight is powerful enough to cause serious and potentially permanent eye damage, including blindness.
If you have suitable solar viewing glasses or certified solar viewing equipment, make sure they are designed specifically for safely viewing the Sun.
There is also a simple way to enjoy the eclipse without looking directly at it: indirect projection.
Simply make a small hole in a piece of card, hold the card towards the Sun and position a piece of white paper behind it. The sunlight passing through the hole will project an image of the Sun onto the paper, allowing you to watch the eclipse safely.
Solar eclipses are always special events, combining astronomy, history and a little bit of luck with the weather. This one should be particularly impressive from Nottinghamshire, with around 92% of the Sun covered at maximum eclipse.
So, keep an eye on the weather, find a good spot with a clear western horizon, prepare your safe viewing equipment, and keep your fingers crossed for clear skies!
Please remember: never look directly at the Sun without adequate solar protection.
Contributed by Tony Booth & Susanna Holt.