Northern Ireland to see 93% solar eclipse as Queen’s hosts free public viewing event

People across Northern Ireland are set to witness one of the most spectacular astronomical events visible here for decades this evening, when the Moon obscures around 93% of the Sun.

The high-coverage partial solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August 2026 will provide the best eclipse coverage Northern Ireland is expected to experience until 2090.

To mark the occasion, the Astrophysics Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast is hosting a free public viewing event from 6pm until 8.30pm on the front lawn of the university’s landmark Lanyon Building.

Crucially, specialist solar eclipse glasses will be provided free to attendees, allowing people to watch the event safely.

When will the eclipse happen?

The eclipse is expected to begin at around 6.10pm, as the Moon starts to move across the face of the Sun.

For observers in Belfast, the spectacle will build for almost an hour before reaching its peak at approximately 7.08pm, when around 93% of the Sun’s surface will be obscured.

The eclipse will then gradually recede, ending shortly after 8pm.

While Northern Ireland will not experience a total eclipse, the exceptionally high level of coverage makes this evening’s event a rare opportunity.

It is the best eclipse coverage expected to be visible from Northern Ireland for more than six decades, with comparable coverage not anticipated again until 2090.

Warning over looking directly at the Sun

Anyone planning to watch the eclipse is being reminded that the Sun remains dangerous to look at directly — even when the vast majority of it is hidden by the Moon.

Ordinary sunglasses do not provide the specialist protection required for direct solar viewing.

Queen’s will provide free specialist solar eclipse glasses to people attending its event, enabling them to observe the eclipse safely.

Staff and students from the university’s School of Mathematics and Physics will also be on hand throughout the evening to explain what is happening and answer questions from members of the public.

Free Queen’s University viewing event

The public event will take place on the front lawn of the Lanyon Building at Queen’s University Belfast, running from 6pm to 8.30pm.

Attendance is free and the event is open to the public, but advance registration is required.

Register Here

The university has also prepared for one factor no astronomer can control — Northern Ireland’s weather.

If poor conditions prevent the eclipse being viewed outside, alternative indoor arrangements will be put in place, including a livestream of the eclipse.

For those able to see it directly, maximum eclipse at around 7.08pm will be the moment to watch, offering Northern Ireland its most significant solar eclipse coverage until 2090.