Exact time to be in position to see solar eclipse in Leeds and how long it will last
It will be the most the sun has been blocked since 1999’s total eclipse 🔭
Star-gazers and curious minds alike should be on standby for a rare celestial event in Leeds this week.
A partial solar eclipse is set to take place on Wednesday (August 12) with the moon set to cover almost all of the sun. In parts of the world, they will get a total eclipse, but it will still be impressive in the UK.
More than 90% of the sun will be obscured by the moon in parts of the country between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on August 12. It is the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999.
Devon, Cornwall and the westernmost parts of Pembrokeshire in Wales are set to see the eclipse at its fullest, with a range of 94% to 96% of the sun obscured by the moon.
Plymouth in particular is forecast to see the moon cover 94.66% of the sun at 7.16pm on Wednesday, according to the Met Office.
However, while the sun won’t be as covered in Leeds, it will still be a fantastic sight for residents in the city.
The Met Office has detailed what time skygazers are likely to see the moon obscure 90% to 92% of the sun.
In the timings released, Leeds was not included, but the eclipse is expected from 7.03pm in Inverness, 7.06pm in Edinburgh and 7.07pm in Newcastle. It is then due at 7.12pm in Birmingham and 7.13pm in London - so make sure you are in position from 7pm, to avoid being disappointed.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory also warned the public that regular sunglasses are not a safe enough method to view the cosmic phenomenon.
Imo Bell, a planetarium astronomer at the observatory, previously told the Press Association: “It’s not a total eclipse, but over 90% is really exciting. We’re not going to get one this good for a really long time.
“So, it’s important not to miss it, and to be prepared. You can’t just go out and expect to have a look because it’s really dangerous for your eyes.
“So, you can use solar eclipse glasses, which are very, very different from sunglasses – they block out so much light that you can’t see anything through them except the sun, because that’s how much light they need to block for the damaging light of the sun to be safe to view.
“Ideally a solar telescope is an amazing way to witness it, and if you don’t have one of them then you can look into whether your local astronomy society is doing any events.
“And if all else fails, you can project the image of the eclipse using a household item like a colander which has lots of holes in – point the colander towards the Sun with your back facing it, and in the shadow of the colander you’ll be able to see the eclipse in the holes, which is really cool.”
The next time the moon obscures as much of the sun will be in 2081 and the next total solar eclipse in the UK will be in 2090.