cyclipse — UK Solar Eclipse 12 Aug 2026

When

Pick your city for local times

First contact, maximum, and end — all in BST. Times from Royal Museums Greenwich city groups.

First contact

18:15BST

Maximum

19:11BST

Ends

20:04BST

Coverage at max: 90%·Midlands / East

Evening event

The Moon takes its first bite of the Sun from about 6:08–6:18pm BST, peaking around 7:05–7:16pm. Exact times shift a little by city — use the location picker above.

Low western sky

The Sun will already be dropping toward the western horizon. Plan for a clear view west — hills, rooftops, and trees can block the finale.

About 2 hours

From first contact to last, the show lasts roughly two hours. Maximum is the wow moment: ~90–95% of the disc covered depending on where you stand.

Where

Best places to watch

More coverage the further south-west you go — but every clear western sky across the UK is a front-row seat.

Head south-west for more bite

Coverage climbs as you move south-west. Cornwall ~95%, Pembrokeshire ~94%, London ~90%, with south-west Ireland up to ~97.5%.

High ground, open west

Pick a hilltop, seafront, or open park with an unobstructed western horizon. The eclipse ends as the Sun sets — height is your friend.

Anywhere in the UK works

The whole of the UK and Ireland sees a deep partial. You do not need to travel for a spectacular view — just clear skies and safe eyewear.

Coverage snapshot

Edinburgh & Glasgow
88%
Dublin & Galway
95%
Leeds
91%
Manchester & Liverpool
91%
Birmingham & Norwich
90%
London, Bristol & Cardiff
90%
Portslade
93%
Eastbourne
92%
Truro, Cornwall
95%

How

How to watch (and enjoy it)

Glasses, projection, or a live stream — three solid ways to take in the bite without risking your eyes.

Certified eclipse glasses only

Look for ISO 12312-2 (or ISO 12312-2:2015). Regular sunglasses, phone filters, and smoked glass are not safe. Bin damaged or creased pairs.

Pinhole projection

No glasses? Project the Sun through a pinhole, colander, or tree-leaf gaps onto a pale surface. Never stare at the Sun — watch the projection.

Live stream backup

Clouds forecast? The Royal Observatory Greenwich is streaming free from London — links in Resources.

DIY pinhole projector

Punch a clean pin-hole in card or foil.
Stand with your back to the Sun.
Project the disc onto pale paper or a wall ~1m away.
Or hold up a colander — many tiny crescents!
Tree-leaf gaps work the same way on the ground.

What it will feel like

At maximum, light levels drop like heavy cloud or early dusk — you may notice cooler air and a strange soft quality to the light. The sky will not go fully dark (this is a deep partial, not totality over the UK). Totality itself tracks across Spain, Iceland, and the Atlantic; here we get the dramatic bite.

Safety

Protect your eyes

Partial eclipses are still dangerous to stare at. The uncovered part of the Sun is bright enough to damage vision permanently.

Never look at the Sun without proper protection

Never look at the Sun with the naked eye, even when most of it is covered.
Sunglasses, phone cameras, and ND filters alone are not safe solar viewers.
Do not use binoculars or telescopes unless they have dedicated solar filters on the front.
Supervise children: glasses on before looking up, glasses stay on.
If glasses are scratched, old, or peely — bin them. Filtering can fail silently.

Interactive

Get eclipse-ready

A quick checklist that sticks on this device. Tick, pack, look west.

Eclipse-ready checklist

Tick things off — saved on this device.

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Resources

Trusted links

Official guides, a free live stream, maps, and public-health advice.

RMG

cyclipseYour guide to tomorrow's UK solar eclipse

Eclipse simulator