Millions of people across the UK and Europe enjoyed the most spectacular solar eclipse in a generation on Wednesday evening (12 August).
The UK experienced its best solar eclipse in nearly 30 years, with most of the country treated to more than 90 per cent of the Sun being covered by the Moon at the peak shortly after 19:00 BST.
Parts of Spain, Iceland, Portugal and Greenland witnessed a total solar eclipse, a spectacular astronomical phenomenon watched by residents and tourists who had travelled there especially to see it.
The partial eclipse began at about 18:00 BST in northern Scotland and just before 18:20 on the south coast of England.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, causing our lunar satellite to cast a shadow on Earth.
The last partial solar eclipse in the UK was on 29 March 2025 – but on this occasion only around 30-40 per cent of the Sun’s light was blocked by the Moon at the maximum. Last night it was around 90 per cent or slightly higher, which was the most coverage over the UK since 1999 when Cornwall in the south west of England witnessed totality.
Did you get any pictures of the solar eclipse, or of yourself watching it? We’d love to see them and feature them on this page. Email them to press@ras.ac.uk
