Hundreds of people arrive at Keele Uni to watch solar eclipse
Tonight hundreds of people arrived at Keele University to watch the solar eclipse. Keele advertised a free event where people could watch the eclipse from a field on site and they had around 200 pairs of special solar glasses that people could use. See video at the end of this post.
On 12th August 2026 just after 7pm, a spectacular solar eclipse took place, creating an impressive astronomical event visible from parts of the world. The eclipse is a total solar eclipse, meaning that along a narrow path across the Earth’s surface, the Moon will completely pass in front of the Sun and temporarily block its bright face.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, causing the Moon’s shadow to fall across the Earth’s surface. During a total eclipse, people within the path of totality can see the Sun’s bright disc disappear, leaving the much fainter solar corona visible around the Moon.
The 2026 eclipse was particularly significant because the path of totality crosses areas including Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, Spain and Russia. The total phase will only be visible from a relatively narrow area, while a much larger part of Europe will experience a partial eclipse.
Image – people watching the eclipse at Keele Uni (Image North Staffs TV)
What happened in the UK
Although the eclipse is officially a total solar eclipse, people in the United Kingdom did not see totality. Instead, the UK experianced a substantial partial solar eclipse, with the Moon covering a large portion of the Sun.
Across the UK, the partial eclipse started at different times depending on location. In England, it started at approximately 6:09 pm BST and ended at around 8:10 pm BST. In Scotland, the eclipse started slightly earlier, at approximately 5:59 pm BST.
Why is a solar eclipse so special?
Solar eclipses are relatively unusual because they require the Sun, Moon and Earth to line up very precisely. Although the Moon is much smaller than the Sun, it can appear almost exactly the same size in the sky because it is also much closer to Earth.
During totality, the daytime sky can become dramatically darker, temperatures may fall, and some bright stars and planets can become visible. The horizon can also take on an unusual glow as sunlight remains visible outside the path of the Moon’s shadow.
For people from the UK, the experience was different because the Sun did remain partially visible throughout the event. Nevertheless, with more than 90% of the Sun covered in many parts of the country, it was an impressive sight for those who managed to get a good view.
