West Country sees 95% solar eclipse 12 August
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- Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will see up to 95% of the sun obscured on 12 August, with Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire seeing around 90% coverage, according to the article
- The eclipse begins at 18:17 BST, reaches maximum at 19:12 BST, and ends at 20:06 BST, with Bath Astronomers chair Simon Holbeche stressing that a clear western horizon is essential
- The National Space Centre confirmed the path of totality arcs from Northern Russia through Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Northern Portugal, meaning the UK misses a full eclipse
- Royal Museums Greenwich stated the next full solar eclipse visible from the UK isn't expected until 23 September 2090
- The Bristol Astronomical Society is hosting a free viewing event at Downs Sea Walls Viewpoint, Clifton from 17:00 on 12 August, providing ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses and specialist solar telescopes
- The Bath Astronomers have distributed more than 7,000 free pairs of safety-certified eclipse glasses to young people in the area along with teacher guidance and parent safety advice
- Dr Stephen Price, chair of the Bristol Astronomical Society, warned that ordinary sunglasses are unsafe and that cameras, telescopes and binoculars must have proper solar filters fitted to the front of the optics
Why it matters: West Country residents won't see a comparable partial eclipse for 66 years until September 2090, giving the 12 August evening window real weight. Local societies are mitigating the eye-damage risk by handing out thousands of ISO-certified glasses and staging free public viewing events with solar telescopes.
