Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you’ll know that a deep partial solar eclipse will cross Isle of Wight skies on Wednesday 12th August 2026, beginning at about 6.18pm and ending shortly after 8.07pm. Totland Bay and Colwell Bay offer direct western and west-north-west sea views from level promenades, under the darker West Wight skies that also favour the Perseids later. Alternatively use genuine eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer marked as complying with ISO 12312-2:2015(E). A new Moon leaves the sky dark, so conditions should favour meteor watching once full darkness arrives, particularly from the West Wight sites. If you want to know more, the BBC has a comprehensive guide to the partial solar eclipse.