Where To View The Solar Eclipse

A partial solar eclipse will be visible here in the UK on August 12th 2026

With just one week until the solar eclipse, it is time to consider where you will have the best opportunity to view it.  As you can see from the map below, the British Isles fall into the area of only partial eclipse, but this rare event will be a memorable experience the whole family can share for years to come.

For the best view, I will be choosing the north-west side of the South Downs with a clear view all the way to the North Downs.  Not everyone has access to such beautiful scenery but for city dwellers, the top floor of a car park or the stair-well of an office block or flats.

Wherever you choose, DON’T FORGET TO TAKE YOUR SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES WITH YOU!

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/how-see-12-august-2026-partial-solar-eclipse

Partial solar eclipse 2026 LIVE

Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich live online to watch the 90% partial solar eclipse visible from the UK

Essential information

Click here to visit the Royal Museums Greenwich website to book your free place

https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/online/solar-eclipse-august-2026-uk-live-stream

The Royal Observatory Greenwich we will be live streaming the eclipse using one of our modern telescopes, giving you a chance to watch this big event safely.

Royal Observatory astronomer Dr Greg Brown will host the broadcast, talking you through the science of the Sun and solar eclipses as we watch the Moon block the Sun from view.

Coverage will start live on YouTube and Facebook from 6.10pm.

How long will the 2026 partial solar eclipse last?

From the UK and Ireland, the partial eclipse will last around 1 hour and 50 minutes. Timings vary slightly depending on the location you’re viewing from.

Eclipses are among the most awesome sights known to humans. During a total solar eclipse, scientists see a part of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona, that is too faint to see unless the glaring light of the Sun is blocked.  

NSO (The National Solar Observatory) scientists study total solar eclipses to make new discoveries and refine their understanding of the Sun’s corona and its interaction with the Earth.

The total eclipse will pass over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, and northern Spain.

The best places to view the eclipse in the UK are Cornwall and South-west Ireland where they will experience 98% total eclipse of the sun hidden behind the moon. Here in the South-east we will observe 91% of the sun obscured at the peak.

Just seven days away, many people expect it to be obscured by cloud, and many more still haven’t heard about this rare phenomena.

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Earth and Sun completely obscuring the Sun. The eclipse will pass over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, and northern Spain. During totality, you may view the Sun without proper eye protection, such as solar glasses. But during all other phases of the eclipse, you should only look at the Sun when your eyes are protected.

Coordinates

62.24747°N, 9.87632°W

Magnitude

0.93798

Moon/Sun Ratio

1.03658

Obscuration

93.1%

Duration of entire eclipse

1:55:23.9

dT

71.4 s

Partial eclipse begins (C1)

16:55:10.6

Maximum eclipse

17:54:13.1

Partial eclipse ends (C4)

18:50:34.6

Credit: National Solar Observatory, AURA and National Science Foundation. Using NASA eclipse path data generated by Fred Espenak, Besselian Elements for August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse. Specific eclipse data from the US Naval Observatory’s Astronomical Applications Department.

Overview

The August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse will be a total solar eclipse.

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Earth and Sun completely obscuring the Sun. The eclipse will pass over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, and northern Spain.