12/08/2026
Today we get to witness a partial solar eclipse — starting around 6:15pm, peaking around 7:10-7:15pm, and finishing by about 8:10pm, depending on where you are located in the UK.
Up to 90-95% of the sun will be covered depending on where you are, making this the deepest partial eclipse the UK has seen in almost 30 years, and about as close to totality as most of us will ever get without a flight to Iceland or Spain!
⚠️Safety Notice:
Viewing or photographing the eclipse can be dangerous if done incorrectly, don't look at it directly without any protective equipment — Buy certified and safe equipment to keep your eyes safe⚠️
⚠️Never point your camera or phone straight at the sun without protection — you can damage both your eyes and your camera sensor.⚠️
Make sure any glasses or phone filters you do buy are ISO 12312-2:2015(E) certified.
The ideal setup is that you have both the glasses and a filter for your phone - this ensures that you are safe.
Hold a pair of certified eclipse glasses directly over your lens. Or you can attach a special phone filter.
I do not recommend using your DSLR camera to view and/or photograph the Eclipse. Unless you have a suitable solar filter for the camera, you are likely to damage the sensor. Solar filters for DSLRs are available but the process when using them is complex. Longer lenses are also required. This post from MPB, who I trust as a camera supplier, gives more information: How to photograph a solar eclipse | MPB.
But due to the complexity, I advise using your smartphone and/or a projection method.
Alternatively, you could also try a pinhole projection: poke a small hole in some card, hold it up with the sun behind you, and photograph the little crescent it projects onto a second card or the ground.
These websites offer more detailed guidance and are from trusted organisations:
How to watch the solar eclipse safely this summer – UK Health Security Agency
12 August 2026 partial solar eclipse | Royal Observatory Greenwich
