A total solar eclipse is happening today, and while the UK will only see a partial one, it’s still the deepest one we’ll see for a long, long time.The next time the moon obscures this much of the sun will be in 2081, while the next total solar eclipse in the UK will be in 2090.The Met Office has confirmed the best spots to watch the eclipse in the UK, although it will be viewable from across the country.
The eclipse will happen between 6pm and 8pm, peaking around 7.10pm.However, exact timings will vary depending on your location in the UK.But solar eclipse glasses have largely sold out online, meaning long queues in the few places that offer them are expected.
So follow Metro‘s live blog to keep updated on everything about the solar eclipse, including images and reactions as they come in – and remember to watch it safely! Live Feed Sort: Newest first Oldest first August 12, 2026 8:58 am Where is the best place to watch the solar eclipse in the UK? Josh Milton The UK won’t see a total solar eclipse, unlike northern Spain or Greenland, because it’s narrowly out of the path of totality.By path of totality, we mean where the moon will completely blot out the sun, bathing it in darkness for more than two minutes.Metro spoke with two stargazing experts about the best places to see the eclipse in the UK.
You can read our guide here, or click below: August 12, 2026 8:54 am How often do solar eclipses happen? Josh Milton A solar eclipse occurs when the moon slides between Earth and the sun.This happens because, by some cosmic fluke, the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but it is about 400 times closer to us. As the Earth and moon do their celestial dance around the sun, partial solar eclipses occur two to five times a year.The clue’s in the name, but ‘partial’ just means the moon only takes a bite of the sun from our point of view, rather than swallowing it whole.
Total solar eclipses – when the moon completely covers the sun – are far rarer, though.Just 66 have taken place in the last century.Lunar eclipses, when the Earth gets between the moon and the sun, can be observed once or twice a year.
August 12, 2026 8:48 am What time is the solar eclipse today in the UK? Josh Milton The moon’s shadow is racing across the Earth at up to 3,000mph, according to eclipse calculators, so everyone will see it at slightly different times.The Met Office has made an infographic below that shows what time the peak of the eclipse – when most of the sun will be obscured – will be.If you want more exact timings, try timeanddate.com, a website that shows the time and date in places around the world – including for solar eclipses in your location.
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