Millions prepare for once-in-a-generation solar eclipse

August 12, 2026 3:30 pmThe Met Office’s official verdict on visibility A spokesperson for the weather agency said “conditions should be more or less perfect” for most people to view the eclipse this evening.A spokesman says: “The south of England and Wales will have the best visibility with clear skies.“Northern Wales and England will have some areas of scattered cloud but generally good visibility.“Eastern Scotland and southeastern Northern Ireland have a better chance of breaks in the cloud but not guaranteed.”Have you checked the #eclipse forecast? 🌓Much of England and Wales should have an excellent chance of seeing it Northwest Scotland will see the poorest conditions, while cloud breaks across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England should allow many to observe it pic.twitter.com/E1rPJ20p7x— Met Office (@metoffice) August 12, 2026 August 12, 2026 3:14 pmWill the skies be clear where you are during the eclipse? We’ve made a nifty graphic for you to see when the eclipse will occur near you, and most importantly if it will be visible.Most of England and Wales will be sunny with clear skies, ideally conditions to see the event.In Northern Ireland and Scotland, though, some parts may be cloudy, which will reduce the likelihood of being able to see the spectacle. August 12, 2026 3:07 pmHuge queues in last-minute rush for eclipse-safe specs Long lines of people have formed queueing round the block at shops still stocking precious solar eclipse glasses.Eclipse mania has taken the UK by storm but many people did not buy their glasses in advance, and there is now a mad rush to find pairs as many shops are completely sold out.Some corner shops had last-minute deliveries which have enticed keen shoppers out to wait in the sun.Many shops have introduced limits on the number each customer can buy.People queue around the block from 6am to buy eclipse glasses in Weymouth this morning (Photo: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images) August 12, 2026 2:48 pmWhat are the timings where you live? The Met Office posted this handy animation on social media which shows the path of the Moon across the Sun at various points throughout the UK – and when you are most likely to see the closest to a total solar eclipse possible.🇬🇧 The UK is set to witness its greatest solar eclipse since 1999 on Wednesday.According to the Met Office, an eclipse this impressive won’t be visible from the UK again until 2081.Follow: @europa pic.twitter.com/T76DFGzbWk— Europa.com (@europa) August 11, 2026 August 12, 2026 2:35 pmThe best places to view the solar eclipse across the UK By Megan EavesLater today, a major solar eclipse will take place over the UK shortly before sunset – the last event of its kind until 2081. The next total solar eclipse over the UK will be in 2090. And with clear skies over much of the country this evening, the chances of seeing it will be much improved from the cloudy event in 1999.The path of totality will cross over western Europe. Although the UK sits just outside the full path of totality, many parts of the country will experience between 89 per cent and 96 per cent coverage of the Sun, meaning even those who cannot travel abroad will still witness a spectacular partial eclipse here at home.A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow across a portion of the Earth’s surface and obscuring the Sun’s light for a few minutes.West-facing coastal villages such as Polzeath in Cornwall will have a very good view of the eclipse (Photo: Harry Trump/Getty)The next total solar eclipse over the UK will not happen until 23 September 2090, so Scotland’s Astronomer Royal, Catherine Heymans, recommends everyone try to get outside and view this year’s event if they can. “To experience celestial motion in real-time, witnessing the rare brief moment when you, the Moon and the Sun, are all in perfect alignment – well, that feels just magical,” she says.This year’s eclipse occurs in the evening, starting at around 6.15pm and ending a little after 8pm. This means the Sun will be very close to setting, so you’ll need to be up high or on a shoreline with an open view of the low western horizon.The excitement doesn’t end at sunset, though, as this year’s eclipse occurs during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, offering the best chance of the year to see shooting stars after dark.Read more here. August 12, 2026 2:26 pmHow to watch the eclipse safely – even if you don’t have the special glasses Watching a solar eclipse without proper eye protection could damage your retina, potentially causing permanent visual impairments.Here, The i Paper explores the different ways viewers could observe the solar spectacle safely.Eclipse glassesWearing sunglasses as protection to watch the eclipse is not safe. But specialised eclipse glasses are safe to use, as they are several thousand times darker than sunglasses, according to Nasa.The space agency has advised observers to inspecting their glasses for damage, and discard them if they are torn or scratched.Nasa has also advised against using eclipse glasses while looking through binoculars, camera lenses, or any other optical device. It has warned that the concentrated solar rays could burn through the glasses’ filter and could cause eye injuries.A pair of solar eclipse glasses held up toward the Sun (Photo: Hugh Hastings/Getty Images)If eclipse glasses are not available, Nasa suggests using indirect methods which do not involve looking directly at the Sun.One example is a pinhole projector, which can be made using a box, aluminium foil and a white sheet of paper. The first step in making one is taping the foil and paper to both ends of the box. The next step is to pierce a hole through the foil. That would allow you to directly view the Sun shining through the hole onto the paper.During the different phases of the eclipse, you will be able to see the shadow from the Moon block out the light projected onto the piece of paper.Another alternative is a colander. By watching the shadow that the colander projects onto the ground, you can safely view the phases of the eclipse.Viewing the solar eclipse through a pinhole box that reflects the sun’s image inside on Photo: (C.M. Guerrero/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)Phone camerasUsing a phone’s front-facing camera to view the eclipse will not harm your eyes – but it could damage the device.Nasa said that pointing a phone’s camera directly at the Sun could damage its image sensor.It warned that using magnifying lenses attached to the phone camera would increase the risk of damage.Nasa suggested using a solar filter or holding a pair of eclipse glasses in front of your phone’s lens to protect the sensor from damage. August 12, 2026 2:18 pmWelcome to the live blog Good evening and welcome to our live blog on the solar eclipse.