Best places to see partial solar eclipse across England
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- The Moon will cover 90 to 96% of the Sun during the partial solar eclipse, marking the deepest coverage over England since the total eclipse of 1999.
- South West England will see the greatest obscuration within England, while parts of Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain witness a full total eclipse.
- The eclipse will last approximately one hour and 50 minutes, beginning around 18:20 BST and ending by 20:10 BST, with exact times varying by location.
- The UK government is urging the public to use indirect viewing methods or certified eclipse glasses meeting ISO 12312-2:2015(E) safety standards, explicitly warning that ordinary sunglasses are not safe.
- Safe DIY alternatives include a pinhole projector, projecting the Sun's image through a colander, or using the gaps between tree leaves to cast the Sun's image onto paper.
- Dozens of organized viewing events are being staged across England — from London and Yorkshire to the East and West Midlands, the North West, North East/Cumbria, the South East, the South West and Channel Islands, East England, and Lincolnshire.
Why it matters: With 90-96% of the Sun obscured and viewing lasting under two hours from 18:20 to 20:10 BST, tens of millions of people across England have a brief window to witness the deepest eclipse since 1999 — but the government's explicit warning that regular sunglasses will not protect eyes means unsafe viewing could lead to widespread retinal damage if the ISO-certified glass shortage isn't addressed.
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