everyone i've talked to about this has been completely unaware so: if you didn't know already, there's going to be a solar eclipse, with totality or coverage of 90% or more in some places, over a lot of europe, on august 12th 2026. in the uk it will start just after 6pm, and the maximum will be at 7:13pm.
here is a map of the path of the eclipse (from timeanddate)
get eclipse glasses if you want to look at it. it is not safe to look at through sunglasses. ok informative post over o7
If you’re not in the path of totality (the red part), you won’t get to see the full eclipse, but if you’re in the orange parts you’ll still see part of the sun covered!
This does result in funky shadows, like you said:
It’s easiest to see with shadows cast by things like leaves.
You can also make a pinhole projector:
Instructions on how to DIY a pinhole projector using cardboard and household items, to safely see a solar eclipse.
DO NOT look directly at the sun even if it’s a partial eclipse. Use eclipse glasses or something like the pinhole projector I linked above.
One fun effect I’ve noticed during a partial eclipse is that the temperature will significantly drop for a few hours, which is especially noticeable in the summer. It can drop as much as 30 degrees F (~15 degrees C) depending on how much of the sun is covered in your location, so keep an eye out for that as well.
Have fun watching the eclipse!
