In Plain Sight: How to Watch The Solar Eclipse Safely

Aug 11
4 min read

On Wednesday 12 August, a spectacular partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK. Here in Southampton, more than 92% of the Sun is expected to be obscured at its peak. But before you reach for your sunglasses, there are a few important things you need to know.

What’s happening?

On the evening of Wednesday 12 August 2026, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, creating a solar eclipse.

While some parts of the world will experience a total eclipse, here in Southampton we’ll see an impressive partial solar eclipse, with around 92.5% of the Sun obscured at its maximum.

The eclipse is expected to begin at around 6:18pm, reach its maximum at approximately 7:14pm, and finish at around 8:07pm.

It will happen relatively late in the day, so if the British weather plays nicely, you’ll need a clear view towards the western horizon.

It should be quite a sight.

But there’s an important word in that description: partial.

At no point during the eclipse in Southampton will it be safe to look directly at the Sun without appropriate protection.

Your sunglasses are NOT eclipse glasses

We know a thing or two about sunglasses at Solent Spectacles, but even the darkest pair in our collection isn't designed for staring directly at the Sun.

Ordinary sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection for viewing a solar eclipse.

That applies regardless of how dark the lenses appear — and wearing two pairs at once doesn't solve the problem either.

Sunglasses are designed to reduce the amount of sunlight and ultraviolet radiation reaching your eyes during normal everyday use. Looking directly at the Sun is something entirely different.

For direct viewing of an eclipse, you need dedicated eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer designed specifically for looking at the Sun.

What should I look for in eclipse glasses?

According to guidance from the UK Health Security Agency and astronomical organisations, suitable eclipse viewers should meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for direct observation of the Sun.

Buy them from a reputable supplier and inspect them carefully before using them.

Don't use eclipse glasses if the lenses are scratched, punctured, torn or otherwise damaged.

Put your eclipse glasses on before looking towards the Sun. When you've finished looking, turn away from the Sun before removing them.

Children should be closely supervised when using eclipse viewers.

What about my phone, camera, binoculars or telescope?

This needs particular care.

Never look directly at the Sun through binoculars, a telescope or an optical camera viewfinder without specialist solar-filter equipment correctly fitted to the device.

Lenses in optical equipment concentrate sunlight and can cause serious injury.

Wearing eclipse glasses while looking through binoculars or a telescope does not make this safe.

Specialist solar filters need to be positioned correctly over the front of the optical equipment, before the sunlight enters it.

If you're planning to photograph the eclipse, check the manufacturer's guidance for your equipment and use an appropriate solar filter rather than improvising.

No eclipse glasses? You can still watch

Please don't improvise with sunglasses, smoked glass, CDs or homemade filters.

Instead, you can watch the eclipse indirectly.

One of the simplest methods is a pinhole projector. A tiny hole in a piece of card can project an image of the Sun onto another surface, allowing you to watch the Moon gradually move across it without looking directly at the Sun.

You can even see the same effect underneath trees, where tiny gaps between the leaves can act as natural pinhole projectors and cast multiple crescent-shaped images during an eclipse.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is also hosting an online livestream of the eclipse, so that's another safe option if you don't have suitable equipment — or if the great British weather has other ideas!

Why can looking at the Sun damage your eyes?

Looking directly at the Sun can damage the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye.

This is known as solar retinopathy, sometimes called solar maculopathy.

The particularly worrying thing is that retinal damage doesn't necessarily hurt while it's happening. Symptoms can appear later and can include blurred or distorted vision, altered colour vision or a blind spot in the centre of your vision.

Damage can sometimes be permanent.

If you experience changes to your vision after looking at the Sun, seek professional medical advice.

So, enjoy it — safely

Events like this don't come around very often.

The Royal Astronomical Society describes Wednesday's eclipse as the best solar eclipse visible from the UK since 1999, and with more than 90% of the Sun expected to disappear behind the Moon here on the south coast, we're hoping the clouds stay away.

Just remember:

Sunglasses for sunshine.Eclipse glasses for eclipses.

Enjoy the show. 🌘