A rare solar eclipse will be visible across the UK on Wednesday night. This is the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999. “Looking directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse can cause damage to the retina, potentially damaging the cells responsible for sharp central vision. The astronomy group recommends the Solar Snap filter, the only smartphone-compatible filter certified to the international ISO 12312-2 standard for solar filters. The next time the moon will obscure as much of the sun will be in 2081, and the next total solar eclipse in the UK will be in 2090.