Total solar eclipses are pretty rare. So rare, in fact, that we in the UK won’t have another one until 2090. In the meantime, we’ll have to make do with partial eclipses, one of which is set to happen next Monday (April 8). If you’re unsure of the difference, we’ve created a pretty comprehensive guide to next week’s eclipse in the UK here.
Although this cosmic event isn’t once in a century levels of rarity, it’s definitely worth keeping an (appropriately protected) eye out for. But if partial eclipses are not exciting enough for you, North America will be experiencing the real thing, and there are plenty of places you can watch that online.
Here’s exactly how to view the total solar eclipse from the comfort of your living room.
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The most reliable livestream will likely be NASA’s. Their broadcast will be a mix of conversations with experts and telescopic views of the eclipse for the best view possible. The stream will be available on the agency’s website, or on the NASA app for phone or tablet. It will begin at 6pm UK time, and end three hours later. It’s also going to be available via YouTube.
What angles will you get to see?
The NASA stream will be exclusively of the eclipsed sun itself through one of their powerful telescopes. There will likely be quite a few average people live streaming their points of view from the ground on social media sites like TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), although there’s no way to be sure that they’ll be any good.
Where’s the best place to see the partial solar eclipse in the UK?
If you’re happy to make do with the halfway eclipse, your best bets are to head to one of the following cities:
- Cardiff
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Leeds
- Liverpool
- Manchester
Basically, somewhere broadly northern and on the west is best.
Remember never to look directly at the sun, as it can blind you, which is a bit of an inconvenience. For more details, including info about the eclipse's route through the US, have a look at our guide here. Happy viewing!
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