UK urged to use safe filters for Aug 12 partial eclipse

Millions of people across the United Kingdom are preparing to witness the most significant solar eclipse visible from the region in decades on Wednesday, August 12. The partial eclipse, during which the Moon will obscure more than 90 percent of the Sun, will be the deepest such event over British skies since the total eclipse of 1999 and will not be surpassed for another 54 years.

The celestial event will begin at 6:17 p.m. and conclude at 8:06 p.m., with the maximum coverage expected around 7:13 p.m. While not a total eclipse from the UK, up to 96 percent of the Sun will be blocked in some areas, creating a dramatic crescent sun effect low in the western sky as sunset approaches. In contrast, a total eclipse will be visible from Reykjavik, Iceland, and several Spanish cities including A Coruna, Bilbao, and Valencia.

Astronomers are issuing urgent safety warnings ahead of the event, stressing that looking directly at the Sun without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage. Officials at the Royal Greenwich Observatory have emphasized that standard sunglasses are entirely inadequate for safe viewing. Instead, they recommend using certified solar eclipse glasses that meet...