UK eclipse 12 August 2026: times & coverage by city
On 12 August 2026 the UK and Ireland get their deepest solar eclipse in years — an early-evening partial eclipse with up to 96% of the Sun covered in the far south-west. Here's what to expect, and how coverage and timings change across the country.
When is it?
The eclipse happens in the early evening, with the Sun low in the west–north-west near sunset. As a rough guide for the UK: it begins around 18:15 BST, reaches maximum at about 19:10–19:15 BST, and ends just after 20:00 BST. Exact times shift by a few minutes depending on where you are.
How much of the Sun will be covered?
Coverage (the percentage of the Sun's area hidden by the Moon) increases as you travel south and west:
- Penzance / west Cornwall: ~96% — the best in mainland Britain
- Cardiff & Belfast: ~93%
- London & Edinburgh: ~91%
- Northern & eastern areas: a little lower, around 89–90%
- Ireland (Dublin ~94%, Cork ~96%): among the best views of all
Use the live city-coverage tool on our Eclipse Glasses UK page to check your nearest town's coverage and timings, and to see what the eclipse will look like from where you are.
It's a partial eclipse — not totality
Nowhere in the UK is in the path of totality, so the Sun is never fully covered. Even at maximum it stays a bright crescent. That means it is never safe to look without proper protection at any moment.
Watch it safely
You'll need filters made for direct solar viewing — certified to EN ISO 12312-2 and CE marked. Our Eclipse Glasses UK are independently lab-tested in Germany and dispatched from the UK within 2 working days. Order by 6 August 2026 for guaranteed UK delivery.
Times and coverage figures are being finalised against authoritative sources ahead of the event — check the city tool for the latest.