Partial solar eclipse to be visible in the UK this weekend - how to watch as clear skies forecast for the West Midlands

A partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of the UK this weekend, but cloudy and rainy days could hamper those wishing to catch a glimpse.

The phenomenon occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. The three will not be completely aligned, meaning only part of the Sun will be obscured.

The eclipse is expected to be visible in the UK from 9.56am to 12.14pm on Saturday, with the peak in London at around 11.03am.

With clear skies and the sun forecast to shine on the West Midlands during this time by the Met Office, we could be in with a chance of spotting the spectacle.

Those in northern parts of Scotland – which on a clear day would be one of the best places for viewing the eclipse – may be left disappointed due to cloud cover, however.

How to watch a solar eclipse

With clear skies forecast in the West Midlands during the predicted times for the partial solar eclipse, here's a quick guide on how to watch from the Natural History Museum. 

You should never look directly at the Sun. Even with sunglasses on or through dark material such as a bin bag or photo negative. These filters don’t protect your eyes against infrared radiation and can cause permanent eye damage. Never use binoculars or a telescope unless you have a special solar filter fitted or are using them to project the eclipse onto white card.

To watch a solar eclipse you can wear special eclipse glasses or construct a pinhole camera.

You can also see the eclipse filtered through the leaves of tree canopies onto the pavement below. This works the same way as a pinhole camera but repeated over and over in the gaps between the leaves.

If you choose to wear solar eclipse viewing glasses, ensure these are authentic and have been purchased from a reputable astronomy supplier. Likewise if purchasing a solar filter for a telescope.

How to make a pinhole camera

1. Cut a hole in a piece of card.

2. Tape a piece of foil over the hole.Poke a hole in the foil with a pin.

3. Place a second piece of card on the ground.

4. Hold the card with the foil above the piece of card on the floor to project an image of the Sun onto it. 

What is the weather forecast for the West Midlands on Saturday?

Saturday

A chilly start with sunshine becoming hazy through the morning. Sun and lear skies are forecast from 6am to 11am. Cloudier and windier by the afternoon with some patchy rain and drizzle later. Maximum temperature 12 °C.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Largely dry through the period with variable amounts of cloud and sunny intervals, though some drizzle possible at times. Feeling pleasant in the sunshine with winds easing.

Stephen Dixon, spokesman for the Met Office, said of the weather forecast for all of the UK: “There’s patchy cloud around on Saturday in the south.

“The north west of Scotland, which has the best window for seeing the partial solar eclipse, is unfortunately going to see rain and cloudy skies.

“However, those further south in England on Saturday should see some break in the cloud.”

Wet weather is expected to move in over the next few days, with rain forecast in Scotland and western parts of Northern Ireland on Thursday and lighter bursts moving south-eastwards to England.

Mr Dixon added: “There’s a bit of a split for the weekend weather, with more frequent wind and rain in the north of the country, particularly Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“Those further south will generally be drier through the day on Saturday.

“Hints of high pressure building from the south west will, on Sunday and through to the start of the week, settle the UK’s weather down again and bring a fair degree of dry, fine weather with patchy clouds at times, but also some sunshine as we move through to the start of next week.

“It’s fairly common for UK spring that we get these periods of rain, of fronts moving in from the west and northwest and also high pressure moving in from the south. Really it’s part of the UK’s position meteorologically, we see these competing dominant weather regimes.”

Temperatures could peak at 17C in the south east of England on Sunday, with highs of 14C possible further north.

What about the Northern Lights?

Another phenomenon, the Northern Lights, were visible in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, early on Wednesday, where skies remained clear.

Stephen Dixon, spokesman for the Met Office said: “People have noticed the Northern Lights more in the last year as the Sun is in its solar maximum phase of an 11-year cycle, meaning higher frequency of solar activity on the Sun.

“It can interact with the Earth’s atmosphere and bring us the Northern Lights as we know them in the UK.

“There’s a chance of aurora sightings over northern Scotland tonight, but there is some cloud and rain moving in so the best chance of visibility is further east of Scotland.

“That chance of aurora sighting continues over Thursday and Friday.”