When is the solar eclipse 2026? The best places and times to see it in the UK

So far, summer 2026 has been marked by some pretty momentous occasions, like the absolute chaos of Love Island's Casa Amor and, of course, the World Cup. But there's another upcoming event you need to circle on your calendar before autumn rolls around...

This month, a partial solar eclipse will take place in the UK, with up to 96% of the Sun being covered by the Moon. And that's not all. Just hours after the partial solar eclipse, the Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak, adding the cherry to the top of one of the best astronomical viewings the UK has seen in decades. If there are no clouds, that is.

Here's everything you need to know about the solar eclipse 2026, including the best places and times to watch it in the UK.

The solar eclipse 2026 will take place on 12 August in the UK. And it's a biggie. August's solar eclipse will be the biggest visible from the UK since 1999, and astronomy fans will have to wait decades for anything this close to a total eclipse here again.

An eclipse of the Sun happens when the Moon moves directly between the Sun and the Earth, creating a shadow. There are three different types of eclipse – total, annular, and partial – and what you see depends on the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, in addition to where exactly you're watching from.

• A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the Sun, which creates a complete shadow for those watching from the darkest part
• An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, but it appears too small to completely cover the Sun because it is not at the point in its orbit closest to Earth. This leaves a bright glowing ring of sunlight visible around the edges
• A partial eclipse happens when the Moon travels between the Sun and the Earth, but the three are not in perfect alignment, so only part of the Sun is hidden by the Moon, creating the effect of having had a bite taken out of it

Although the UK will not witness a total solar eclipse on 12 August, the further southwest you are, the greater the partial eclipse will appear. According to the BBC's Sky at Night Magazine, Cardiff and Belfast are the two major UK cities which will have the best partial eclipse coverage.

If you head out of the city, however, and particularly into southwestern areas such as Cornwall, you'll be in for a real treat. The BBC predicts that from Bishop Rock Lighthouse (which is on the Western Rocks of the Isles of Scilly), the Moon will cover 96.5% of the Sun's disc by area. Similarly, Land's End in Cornwall will see 95.8% coverage, and from Lizard Point (also in Cornwall), it'll be about 95.6 %.

Per the BBC's Sky at Night Magazine, the solar eclipse will take place in the UK between 6pm and 8pm (ish!) on 12 August. The absolute best window of time within that range, however, is just after 7pm. Depending on where you are in the UK, the BBC predicts that the time of greatest eclipse will happen between 7:05pm and 7:13pm... but this is nature we're talking about after all!

Of course, whether or not you'll get to see the solar eclipse in the UK also depends on the weather! Clear skies offer optimal viewing of eclipses, in comparison to clouds.

Beyond being a scientific astronomical moment, solar eclipses are a sign of a fresh start – if you believe in that kind of thing. As Cosmopolitan astrologer Monisha Holmes explains here, solar eclipses are about initiations, which could be a new chapter in your life, a plot twist, or a shift in purpose. Basically, a solar eclipse brings that "out with the old, in with the new energy."

Don't expect those changes to happen overnight, though. "Solar eclipses feel like life hit the fast-forward button," Monisha says. "You may not see the full storyline right away, but months later you'll trace the breadcrumb trail back to this moment."

Interesting!