The National Space Academy

🌞Partial Solar Eclipse! 🌌

Tomorrow, we’ll be treated to a partial solar eclipse – the best one visible from the UK for the next several decades!

As it will occur around sunset, the sun will be quite low on the horizon, so find clear views without tall buildings and trees that may block your view.

Look to the west / north-west, where first contact will occur at 18:15 (from Leicester). This is when you’ll begin to see the dark disk of the Moon creeping onto the right edge of our star. At 19:11, it will reach its maximum coverage where the Moon will be blocking about 90% of the Sun’s surface – leaving just a small crescent of sunlight from the top right limb of our star.

The event will end shortly after 20:00 where the last contact of the Moon will be on the left edge of the Sun.

Make sure you view the event safely! Use solar eclipse glasses, pin hole projections, or telescopes with solar filters that have been setup correctly – do not look directly at the Sun.

For information on this event and other exciting stargazing events this month, read our monthly blog:

https://nationalspaceacademy.org/about-us/news/whats-happening-in-space-august-2026/

🚀 Space to Read Summer Reading Challenge 📚

Can you find the time to read one book before the end of summer?

Choose a book from your shelf, borrow one from your library, download our recommended reading list, or explore one of our FREE interactive books.

Visit our website or scan the QR code to get started, then tell us what you've read!

LINK: https://nationalspaceacademy.org/about-us/news/space-to-read-summer-reading-challenge/

Looking for your next great read?

As part of our Space to Read Summer Reading Challenge, we've asked some of our space experts to share the books that inspired their own journeys into science, engineering and space exploration.

🎥 In this video, Jo Salter , Britains first female fast jet pilot talks about a book that captured their imagination and helped spark their interest in space.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrOYf1aVTV4

Whether you're choosing a book from your shelf, borrowing one from the library, exploring our recommended reading list or downloading our free interactive book, we hope their recommendation helps inspire your next reading adventure.

Let us know if you've read it, or if it's going on your reading list!

Jo Salter - Favourite Space Reads Jo Salter, Britains First Female Fast Jet Pilot shares her favourit...

🚀📚 Space to Read Summer Reading Challenge

Find some Space to Read before the end of summer and take part in our Summer Reading Challenge!

You can choose a book from your shelf at home, borrow one from your local library, or visit our website to download our recommended reading list featuring some of our favourite books about space, exploration, engineering and discovery.

Looking for something different? You can also download one of our FREE interactive books from our website and begin your reading adventure straight away.

⭐ Can you find the time to read just one book before the end of summer?

Once you've finished, let us know what you've read and share your favourite part with us.

Visit our website or scan the QR code to get started.

On the 30th August we are anticipating the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman telescope from the Kennedy Space Centre. There will also be a partial solar eclipse on August 12th, it's going to be the best one visible from the UK for the next several decades! Occurring at sunset at 19:11 it will be quite low on the horizon.

Please make sure you view the event safely by using solar eclipse glasses, pin hole projections, or telescopes. Don't look directly at the sun!

For more stargazing opportunities this August please read our monthly blog, courtesy of our Space Expert, Dhara Patel. https://nationalspaceacademy.org/about-us/news/whats-happening-in-space-august-2026/

Image Credit: NASA/Amber Jean Notvest

Are you eclipse ready? At the Academy we're very excited to experience the solar eclipse on 12th August! Ensure you're watching safely, and remember: eclipse times vary by location so be sure to check the best time for your location. Find lots of handy eclipse ideas at this website from our friends in the UK science community: https://ukeclipse.com/

(Link shared does not constitute endorsement)

Next eclipse: 12th August 2026 Find all you need to know about the next eclipse visible from the UK