While residents in parts of Greenland, Spain, northern Russia, Iceland, and a small corner of Portugal will benefit from being in the path of totality, people in the U.K. and Ireland will experience a slightly more diluted version of the rare celestial event.
As the U.K. and Ireland will have to wait until September 2090 to experience a total solar eclipse, it’s more than worth embracing the partial solar eclipse this month.
A solar eclipse is when the moon, from the perspective of Earth, passes in front of the face of the sun, blocking out some—or all—of its light.
While a solar eclipse only occurs during a new moon phase, it is not guaranteed.
“The moon is always moving, the Earth is always moving, so there's never a long period of time where the two are able to cross paths exactly, but periodically it does happen, and that's why you end up with this eclipse,” says Muller.
Will the solar eclipse be visible from the U.K. and Ireland?
Yes, not in totality, but people will be treated to a spectacular partial eclipse.
It will “almost look like there's a crescent of the sun left behind, the rest will be blocked by the moon,” says Muller.
Muller suggests the best time to watch the celestial event is after midnight, but advises heading to an area with low light pollution.
For both the U.K. and Ireland, the further south-west you go, the more coverage you will see.
Due to the eclipse taking place close to sunset, it is also important to avoid obstructions such as trees, hills, or buildings, as the sun will be lower on the horizon.
In the U.K., coverage will be best in Cornwall, in the southwest of England, with around 95% obscuration expected. Neighbouring Devon should also encounter a high percentage of coverage, while people in Pembrokeshire, Wales, are set to see up to 94% of the sun eclipsed.
As a general guide, the “first contact” between the moon and sun will begin at around 6:12 p.m., local time, in Galway and Dublin in Ireland. The maximum eclipse will occur at 7:10 p.m., with it coming to a complete end at 8:05 p.m.
Viewers in London will get slightly less coverage, but they should still be able to enjoy a substantial 90% partial eclipse. Timings here are similar: A start time of 6:17 p.m., the peak to follow at 7:12 p.m. and the conclusion coming in at 8:06 p.m.
Three friends visit Mounts Bay, Penzance, Cornwall, to view the solar eclipse on Aug. 11, 1999. —Toby Melville—Getty ImagesHow can you watch the eclipse safely?
Muller recommends purchasing eclipse glasses, or if you already have a pair, ensuring they are not damaged and ready for use.
“Don't look at the sun with [regular] sunglasses on, with two pairs of sunglasses on, or 3D glasses on,” Muller warns, advising against short-cuts. “Even limited exposure to direct sunlight can damage your eyes.”
Citing a report from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the government said that at least 70 people reported visual loss in the days after the eclipse due to having looked directly up at the sun without appropriate protection. The visual loss was temporary, with none of those affected reporting any issues beyond six months after the eclipse.
Holding up a colander and looking at its shadow is an alternative way to view the phenomenon, the UKHSA suggests, but people must still avoid any direct eye contact with the sun.
“If you hold a colander up in the direction of the sun, the light from the sun will travel through the holes in it and project little prints of the sun on the floor,” says Muller. “As the eclipse happens, you'll end up seeing lots of little crescents as the moon passes in front of it instead.”
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