2026 Partial Solar Eclipse

What a great event that was!

12th August 2026 - For the first time since 1999, the UK was going to be treated to a partial solar eclipse, with somewhere around 90% coverage (depending on location). For us in Bedford, that was going to be 90-91%.

The forecast for the day was perfect - the recent runs of hot weather showed no signes of breaking, so we were in for a treat…

At Bedford Astronomical Society, we planned to set up solar telescopes on the sports field at Bedford School. We thought that we would get perhaps 20-30 members turn off, the odd partner, so we thought we would end up with around 50 people…

In the days running up to the event, the number of enquiries were increasing, and by the 10th, we estimated about 100 people… By Tuesday 11th, that estimation had gone up - around 150 we thought…

On the day itself, we gave out our entire supply of 300 pairs of glasses, and still people came in, happy just to be part of the event and be able look through the solar telescopes we had set up!

It really was a great event - helped enourmously by tyhose brilliant peple at First Light Optics who had loaned us a Sky-Watcher Heliostar 76, and came up trumps on the eclipse glasses!

I was interviewed by Bedford Independant News - article here

Next year, there is another partial eclipse, around 40% for us, but should still be a fun event to watch. Although, I think I may go a bit further South next year and witness the full spectacle!!

A couple of images I took via the SeeStar S50, and crowd shots of the day!