The UK is set to experience a rare partial solar eclipse where half the sun will turn dark.
This phenomenon only occurs once in every 18 months, with the next one visible from Britain on August 12, 2026.
Since 2003, the UK has been able to experience 11 partial, annual and total eclipses.
However, those wanting to see the solar display are cautioned to be careful, as looking directly at the sun can cause temporary and even permanent eye damage in less than one minute.
Since 2003, the UK has been able to experience 11 partial, annual and total eclipses
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People may not realise the severity of the damage at first.
It can take a few hours to a few days for symptoms of eye damage to appear.
These can include loss of vision, distorted vision and altered colour vision.
The only time one can safely look at a solar eclipse without protection is when the sun turns completely black, however this will not occur during this phenomenon, as it is a partial eclipse.
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A partial eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth - but they are not perfectly aligned.
This means only a part of the sun is hidden by the moon.
Viewers in Scotland and Northern Ireland will be able to see around 40 per cent of the sun covered by the shadow of the moon.
Meanwhile, in London and the southeast of the UK, it will be 30 per cent covered.
"The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as 'eclipse glasses' or handheld solar viewers"
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Speaking to The Sun, Dr Greg Brown, Senior Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said the UK will have one of the best views in Europe.
"The only country in Europe with a better view [than the UK] will be Iceland with a magnitude of 0.74 which is about 68 per cent coverage of the Sun," he said.
The eclipse will begin at 10am and end at 12pm. Dr Brown explained that it will be at its fullest at 11am.
Advice from the American Astronomical Society on how to safely view an eclipse states: "The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as 'eclipse glasses' or handheld solar viewers."
