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Where in the UK will get the best view of the solar eclipse?

Published by The Guardian UKPublished via RSS · Original publisher credited

Published 8 Aug 2026, 15:082 min read

Where in the UK will get the best view of the solar eclipse? — image supplied by The Guardian UK's feed — Image supplied with the original post by The Guardian UK. The Guardian UK

When, where and how to get the optimal view of the first solar eclipse to be visible across the country this century

For the first time this century, people across the UK will be able to see an almost total solar eclipse in the evening sky on Wednesday.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the Earth, blocking the sun’s light either partially or fully. This year, people in the UK and Ireland will see 90-96% of the sun covered by the moon for the first time since 1999 – and it’s their last chance until 2081.