Wednesday's event is calculated to be the most extensive solar eclipse for the next 54 years and represent the highest level of coverage seen from the UK since 11 August 1999. A total solar eclipse will be visible over the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a narrow region of northern Portugal, where the sun will be obscured for two minutes. Eclipse glasses or solar filters are required to view the event safely, normal sunglasses do not provide adequate protection. The event will include live solar viewing, educational talks, a planetarium show, and access to the observatory’s new spaceflight museum. This August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse visible over mainland Europe since 1999.