Overview
- The deep partial eclipse, which will occur on Wednesday 12 August, will sweep across the UK in the early evening with peak obscuration roughly between 7:02pm and 7:16pm depending on location.
- Officials including the UK Health Security Agency and the Royal Observatory say looking at the Sun without ISO 12312-2 certified viewers or indirect methods can cause immediate, painless and potentially permanent retinal damage.
- Retailers report low stocks of certified eclipse glasses and many local astronomy societies, observatories and museums are offering supervised public viewings and providing safe eyewear or telescopes.
- Organisers will run livestreams and projection options such as pinhole projectors or colanders for people who cannot get certified glasses, and forecasters warn local cloud and the low western horizon at sunset will affect visibility.
- Octopus Energy is running a consumer promotion that rewards customers who reduce electricity use between 6pm–8pm and offers a prize competition, and experts note the last UK total eclipse was in 1999 with the next one not due until 2090.