With protective eclipse glasses sold out nationwide, you might be tempted to use the camera on your smartphone to safely watch the solar eclipse over the UK tonight. Starting from 6.17pm until around 8.06pm tonight, millions of Britons will witness the most complete solar eclipse visible above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999. For all of us in the UK, tonight will be the best opportunity to witness a solar eclipse this close to totality until 2081. Since you've permanently damaged the photosensitive semiconductor structure built into the camera sensor, you will need to replace the camera module itself. Older handsets from the Californian are less expensive, but it's still a hefty bill to watch the solar eclipse.