Solar Eclipse 2026: What Time Does It Start Tomorrow? Full List Of Areas & Exact Times To Watch It

By Swift Reporter

People across the UK and Ireland are set for a major spectacle tomorrow. On August 12, the first partial solar eclipse since 1999 is to be visible, with the Moon covering approximately 90% to 96% of the Sun at its peak. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, blocking some or all of the star’s light.

The eclipse will also be visible across much of Europe, including France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy, where around 88% to 95% of the Sun will be obscured. In contrast, people in parts of Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain will be positioned within the path of totality, allowing them to witness a total solar eclipse, during which the Sun is completely hidden by the Moon. For the UK and Ireland, this will be the most significant solar eclipse in nearly 30 years. In 1999, a total eclipse was visible from parts of Cornwall and Devon and a deep partial eclipse was seen elsewhere across the region.

As the afternoon progresses on August 12, the Moon and the Sun will appear to move closer together in the sky. Because the side of the Moon facing Earth is unlit, it will not be visible without special equipment. The partial solar eclipse will begin at 6.17pm in London (with slight timing differences across the UK and Ireland), when the Moon first starts to cover the Sun.

The Moon will then gradually move across the Sun’s disk, reaching its maximum coverage at 7.12pm, when around 90% of the Sun will be obscured. At this point, there will be a noticeable drop in light levels and temperature, although the sky will not become completely dark as it does during a total eclipse.

Instead, conditions may resemble a cloudy day or the light seen around dawn or dusk. After the peak, the Moon will slowly move away from the Sun until the end of the eclipse at 8.06pm. As the event takes place around sunset, both the Sun and Moon will be low in the western sky, so a high location with a clear view of the western horizon will provide the best opportunity to watch the entire phenomenon.

Experts have warned that only special solar eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 certified for the safest eye protection should be used to view the eclipse.

Other glasses that don’t meet these safety standards, or ordinary sunglasses, no matter how dark, should never be worn to view an eclipse, as they reduce glare, making it feel more comfortable to look at the Sun for longer, but still allow harmful solar radiation to reach the retina.

Following the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the eclipse.

Around 40% had looked at it for less than a minute.

Mohamed Elalfy, a consultant ophthalmologist and president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said: “The safest way to enjoy the eclipse is to observe it indirectly, such as by watching a live broadcast.

“Looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse can cause damage to the retina, potentially damaging the cells responsible for sharp central vision.

“Crucially, the retina has no pain receptors, so people will not feel the damage as it happens.

“Symptoms may only become apparent several hours later and can include blurred vision, a central blind or dark spot, distorted vision, reduced colour perception and increased sensitivity to light.

“While some people recover over weeks or months, others can be left with permanent visual impairment.”