It’s fair to say there’s been quite a lot of excitement ahead of tonight’s (April 8) solar eclipse, which will see the sun pretty much totally blocked out across parts of Mexico, the US and Canada and partially blocked out in the UK. The effect in the UK is gonna be much less dramatic than in North America, but those in the path of totality are set to witness the full-on ‘halo effect’, where the moon perfectly aligns between the Earth and the sun.
So, what’s the deal with this celestial spectacle? Here’s some info about how and why eclipses take place, when we last witnessed a full solar eclipse in the UK, and why they’re so special
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When was the last full solar eclipse in the UK?
The last full or ‘total’ solar eclipse that was witnessed in the UK was way back on August 11, 1999, but it was technically only Devon and Cornwall that were in the path of totality. The eclipse was also visible across Europe and Asia.
How often do they occur and why?
The UK experiences between two and five solar eclipses of various totalities each year. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the next major ones are April 8 (that’s tonight), March 29, 2025 and August 12, 2026.
While total solar eclipses technically aren’t that rare (as they occur roughly every 18 months somewhere on the planet) catching one in the same place only happens approximately every 400 years. However, Carbondale in Illinois is about to witness its second total solar eclipse in just seven years.
When is the next eclipse?
We can’t lie, it’s gonna be a while. The next total solar eclipse won’t be taking place until September 23, 2090, 91 years after the previous one. You can read more about that here.
How to watch tonight’s partial eclipse
You can have a look at all the info on the path and peak times for the partial eclipse in the UK here, and it’s predicted that Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester will have the best view. However, you can also check out our guide on the best way to watch the proper thing online – such as on NASA’s live stream – right here.
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