If you're observing the partial solar eclipse this Saturday 29 March 2025 from London and the southeastern parts of England, you could have the best views in the UK.
That's according to the weather forecast from the UK Met Office, which shows that southeasterly parts of the UK will have the clearest skies.
Observing the eclipse across the UK
The partial solar eclipse of 29 March 2025 is visible across all of the UK and Ireland, but where you're viewing from will determine exactly what you see.
If you're in the northwest of the UK, such as the west coast of Scotland, you'll see more of the Sun eclipsed by the Moon.
If you're in the southeast of the UK, such as London and the surrounding areas, you'll see less of the Sun eclipsed by the Moon.
In the northwest of Scotland, 47.8% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon.
In the southeast of England, only 28.1% of the Sun will be hidden by the Moon.
According to TimeAndDate.com, in London around 30% of the Sun will covered by the Moon.
But in Inverness and the Shetland Islands, 43% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon.
Of course, if you have heavy cloud cover, you won't be able to see the eclipse at all.
So where's the best place in the UK to see the eclipse, weather-wise?
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Weather for the eclipse
The UK Met Office weather forecast for Saturday 29 March 2025 shows that the northwesterly parts of the UK will be most affected by cloud.
The southeasterly parts of the UK will be less affected by cloud, says the forecast.
That means London and the surrounding southeasterly regions could have the clearest skies and the best views of the eclipse.
Observing the eclipse
This partial solar eclipse occurs on Saturday morning, 29 March from 10am until midday.
The best time to see the eclipse is around 11am, as that's the point at which the greatest area of the Sun will be covered by the Moon.
You must observe the entirety of the solar eclipse with eclipse glasses or other safe, certified solar-observing equipment.
Observing the solar eclipse with the naked eye could damage your eyesight.
For safety tips, read our guides on how to safely observe a solar eclipse and how to make sure your eclipse glasses are safe.
If you don't have solar eclipse glasses, you can view the effects of the solar eclipse indirectly by using pinhole projection.
Just after 10am, the Moon will begin to cross the Sun, approaching from the right-hand side.
Observing through eclipse glasses, you'll see the Moon slowly pass in front of the Sun, with maximum eclipse occurring at around 11am.
By midday, the solar eclipse will be over.
For up-to-date weather forecasts, keep an eye on BBC Weather and the UK Met Office cloud cover map.
If you do observe this weekend's solar eclipse, share your experiences and images with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
