Often a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, a total solar eclipse is a major event in the astronomy calendar. They happen when the moon travels in front of the sun, creating a brief period of total (or partial) darkness and making for a beautifully spooky spectacle.
And for those waiting for a solar eclipse in the UK, today’s (Monday April 8) the big day. This evening we’ll witness a partial solar eclipse (check out the path and peak times here), which you can found out more details about with our guide here. It’ll be cool, for sure, but nowhere near as cool as a total solar eclipse. Unfortunately, that’s a lot more rare, and this time a total solar eclipse will only be visible in parts of North America.
Wondering when the UK might get to experience the same astronomical event? Here’s everything you need to know about the UK's next solar eclipse.
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What time is the partial solar eclipse in the UK tonight? Path and peak times.
How to watch the solar eclipse online in the UK.
When was the last total solar eclipse in the UK?
What is a total eclipse?
It’s when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking light from the sun and creating a period of darkness for a narrow part of the planet. Some areas will experience partial darkness, while others in the ‘path of totality’ will be plunged into total darkness.
When is the next full solar eclipse in the UK?
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the next time Brits will witness a total solar eclipse will be September 23, 2090. That’s almost a whole century on from the last one, which was in 1999.
What about the US?
Parts of the US, Mexico and Canada will experience the rare total eclipse in just a matter of days. The solar eclipse is due to happen on Monday April 8, with the path of totality stretching from the west coast of Mexico all the way up to Newfoundland in Canada. It'll pass through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
It’s a big event, with many authorities issuing warnings and preparing to close schools.
How often are solar eclipses in the UK?
According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the UK experiences two to five solar eclipses of various kinds each year. The next partial eclipses will be on April 8, 2024, March 29, 2025 and August 12, 2026.
When it comes to total solar eclipses, they come around every 18 months or so, meaning they’re not super rare in and of themselves. However, they are only visible from any one place on Earth an average of every 400 years.
The solar eclipse on Monday April 8 will only be partial, with people in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester in with the best shot of seeing it. Though be warned, you need good, clear weather too – and this being the UK, it’s currently set to rain quite a bit on Monday.
Why can’t total solar eclipses usually be seen from Earth?
As the moon and Earth are both constantly moving, it takes seriously exact timing for the two to line up in such a way to produce a solar eclipse. As the moon is much smaller than the Earth, its shadow only covers a tiny bit of our planet’s surface – hardly ever completely blocking out the sun.
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Plus: everything you need to know about when and how to see the April 8 eclipse.
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