Curious astronomers are being warned to protect their eyes ahead of a rare partial solar eclipse that'll be visible across the UK.
The event will be taking place on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, and people wanting to catch a glimpse of the spectacle are being warned about the dangers of staring directly at the sun.
People are being urged to wear eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers to avoid vision loss, but Brits must not use regular sunglasses as they do not provide adequate protection for viewing a solar eclipse.
Those in Suffolk can purchase eclipse glasses from reputable retailers, but they must meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E).
Following the 1999 total solar eclipse, there were around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the eclipse.
Another way to catch a glimpse of the partial solar eclipse is by watching the eclipse indirectly, using safe options such as a pinhole viewer, with a colander or using a simple pinhole projector.
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