Next Solar Eclipse UK: How Long You Have To Wait For The Next Celestial Spectacle

Well, the solar eclipse last night was something, wasn’t it?

Those lucky enough to be in Spain would’ve witnessed a total solar eclipse, which saw the Moon pass in front of the Sun, completely blocking it out.

People in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal would’ve also been able to view the spectacle.

In the UK, meanwhile, most of the Sun was blocked out – about 90-95% of it, depending on where you were viewing it from.

Crowds flocked to viewing points with colanders, homemade pinhole viewers and eclipse glasses to catch a glimpse of the marvellous moment.

If (for whatever reason) you missed it, or you didn’t get to experience it with solar eclipse glasses, fear not! There’s another one in the pipeline…

The good news is you don’t have to wait until 2090.

While a total solar eclipse won’t be on the cards for another 60-odd years, there will be the chance to view another eclipse in the UK this time next year.

According to NASA, a total solar eclipse will be visible in southern Spain, North Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen on 2 August 2027. (So if you want to travel to see it, there’s time to book tickets!)

This eclipse will also be visible in most of Europe, but will be a partial one – offering about 45% of coverage.

“A partial eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth but the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly aligned. This means that only part of the Sun is hidden by the Moon,” according to Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG).

Next year’s partial eclipse will be a morning one – starting at around 9am in London and peaking at 10am. Roughly 45% of the Sun will be in shadow.

Absolutely. If you missed last night’s Perseids Meteor Shower display, there’s another one (the Geminids Meteor Shower) set to peak between 13-14th December this year.

On Christmas Eve this year we’ll also be treated to a festive-themed Supermoon, which occurs when a full Moon is super close to the Earth, making it seem bigger and brighter.