The South Hams will be one of the best place to see next week's solar eclipse

The South Hams is one of the best places to see the partial solar eclipse that is taking place on the 12th of August. 

Some of the best places to see the partial eclipse will be local beaches where the light pollution from settlements will be less. It is expected to start around 6.10pm and will end around two hours later. 

(All clever science stuff credit to Royal Museums Greenwich)

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, resulting in the Sun’s light being blocked either partially or fully for viewers in certain locations on Earth. 

Royal Museums Greenwich 

On Wednesday 12 August 2026, people in the UK and Ireland will see a partial solar eclipse, when around 90-96% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon. 

Viewers across swathes of Europe including France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern regions of Italy will also be able to see around 88-95% coverage, while spectators in parts of Greenland, Iceland and Northern Spain will see a total eclipse. 

This will be the most coverage seen from the UK and Ireland since the 1999 solar eclipse.

How to see the solar eclipse

We all know you can't look directly at the sun, so try these other options: 

1. Use eclipse glasses – Buy or borrow a pair of special eclipse glasses. These block out the Sun’s harmful rays and enable you to look at the eclipse safely with your own eyes. Please note that regular sunglasses are not safe to use, as they don’t have adequate UV protection to protect your eyesight.

To ensure your eclipse glasses are legitimate, make sure that they have safety certification ‘ISO 12312-2' or ‘ISO 12312-2:2015’ printed somewhere on the glasses. Be careful if you’re planning on reusing an old pair of eclipse glasses: these may not be safe, especially if the lenses are creased or scratched, as their filtering properties may have been compromised. Don’t take risks – buy yourself a fresh pair. 

2. Make a pinhole projector – There are a few ways you can go about making a ‘pinhole projector’, which will allow you to see the eclipse by projecting the Sun’s light, and the bite being taken out of it, onto another surface. 

Check out this child-friendly video to make your own pinhole camera: 

What if I miss this one? 

You'll have to wait until 2090 for the next total solar eclipse visible from the UK! The 12 August 2026 eclipse is the closest to total that the British Isles will see for quite some time.

The only eclipse that comes close to total for the British Isles will be on 3 September 2081, where up to 99% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon. Cornwall and the south coast will again be the best place to observe from.

Other significant partial eclipses will occur in 2030 (~50%), 2053 (~40%), 2066 (~60%), 2075 (~70%), 2082 (~70%) and 2088 (~40%), with a handful of more minor eclipses taking place.

If for any reason you can't see it in real life, the Royal Museums Greenwich will be live-streaming the event on their YouTube channel and Facebook pages. Find out more here: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/online/solar-eclipse-august-2026-uk-live-stream