Science Dome UK

On Wednesday 12th August, up to 96% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon over the UK. The last time we saw a partial eclipse this deep was March 2015. Here's what to know before you look up.

The eclipse begins at around 6pm BST and reaches its maximum between 7:05 and 7:13pm, depending on where you are in the UK. Cardiff sees the deepest partial at 93.2%. London sits at 91.4%. Even the far north of Scotland will see nearly 88% coverage.

Because this eclipse happens close to sunset, the Sun will be low on the western horizon when it peaks.

Find somewhere with a clear, unobstructed view to the west-northwest. A hill, a coast, a park with open sky. Clouds on the horizon hundreds of miles away can block the view even if the sky above you is clear, so treat it like finding a good spot for a sunset.

The most important thing: never look directly at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses marked ISO 12312-2. Regular sunglasses will not protect your eyes.

If you are using a camera, telescope or binoculars, make sure they have a proper solar filter fitted to the front.

Once the eclipse ends and the sky gets dark, stay outside. The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the same night, and because the Moon is new, the skies will be unusually dark. Up to 100 meteors per hour under perfect conditions, with typical UK rates of 20 to 40 from a dark site. No telescope needed... just lie back and watch.

A solar eclipse is one of those rare moments when the solar system makes itself impossible to ignore. The Moon, the Sun and the Earth lining up so precisely that day turns to dusk in the middle of summer.

It is also exactly what we talk about inside the Science Dome... how the Earth, Moon and Sun relate to each other, why eclipses happen when they do, and why the Moon appears almost exactly the same size as the Sun from where we stand, even though it is 400 times smaller.

Enjoy tomorrow evening. It is a good one.