When Is The Next Total Eclipse In England

So, picture this: I’m standing in my mum’s back garden in Cornwall, clutching a pair of dodgy solar glasses from a 1999 cereal box. The sky goes a weird, bruised purple, the birds stop singing, and the temperature drops like a stone. I was twelve, and I remember thinking, “This is either a total eclipse or the apocalypse—either way, I’m not finishing my homework.” That was the last total solar eclipse visible from mainland England, on August 11, 1999. And if you weren’t there, don’t worry—I’m still salty about the clouds that rolled in over London at the last second.

Fast forward a quarter of a century, and you’re probably asking: “When is the next one happening here?” The short, slightly heartbreaking answer? Not for a while. If you want a total solar eclipse that plunges England into eerie daytime darkness again, you’ll be waiting until September 23, 2090. Yes, you read that right—2090. That’s roughly 66 years from now, give or take a few grey hairs and pension plans. So, unless you’re planning to live to a very ripe old age or you’ve got a time machine stashed in your shed, this isn’t exactly a “pop it in your diary” event.

Why the huge gap? Blame the geometry.

Eclipses aren’t like buses—they don’t come in threes. The Moon’s orbit is tilted, and its shadow has to hit the exact sweet spot on Earth’s surface. For England, that sweet spot is annoyingly rare. The 1999 one was a fluke of positioning; the next one in 2090 is its distant, grumpy cousin. In between, we get plenty of partial eclipses—where the Moon takes a bite out of the Sun—but the full, jaw-dropping, “holy-crap-the-Sun-is-gone” show is on hiatus.

But hey, don’t throw your solar glasses in the bin just yet. There’s a total solar eclipse passing over mainland Europe on August 12, 2026, and a chunk of it will be visible from the UK. In fact, if you’re in the southwest of England—think Cornwall, Devon, or the Channel Islands—you might catch a very deep partial eclipse, up to 96% coverage. It won’t be total darkness, but it’ll be spooky enough to freak out your cat. Just don’t expect a black-out like 1999; you’ll need to travel to Spain or Iceland to see totality that day.

What about a lunar eclipse? That’s easier, right?

Good point. If you’re desperate for a celestial “blood moon” moment, we get those far more often. The next total lunar eclipse visible from England is on March 14, 2025. That’s when the Moon turns a rusty, Halloween-orange for a few hours. No special glasses needed—just a clear sky and a blanket. But let’s be honest, a lunar eclipse is the supporting actor; a total solar eclipse is the lead role with the Oscar-winning scream. You want the Sun to vanish, not the Moon.

2026 Total Solar Eclipse Maps

So, here’s the deal: if you really want to see a total solar eclipse from England before 2090, you’ve got one sneaky option—and it’s not on the mainland. Head to the Faroe Islands (technically not England, but we’ll let it slide) on August 12, 2026, for a total eclipse that brushes their coastline. Or go full travel nerd and chase the 2027 total eclipse over Egypt. Honestly, the UK is cursed with a “partial view” of most big eclipses for the next 50 years. It’s like being invited to the party but stuck in the garden.

Before you get too bummed out, remember: nothing is set in stone. Astronomy is precise, but weather is a gamble. The 1999 eclipse was famously ruined for southern England by a last-minute cloud bank—I still haven’t forgiven the Met Office. So even if you do wait for 2090, you might end up staring at a grey sky muttering, “Typical British summer.” That’s the irony of living on this soggy island: the next total eclipse might be in 66 years, but the clouds are eternal.

Solar Eclipse: How to see the rare astronomical event from the UK and

In the meantime, mark your calendar for October 25, 2022’s partial solar eclipse—oh wait, that already happened. Right, so look out for June 10, 2021’s “ring of fire” eclipse? Also past. See? This is why I wrote this article—to save you from Googling like a maniac. The next decent partial eclipse visible from England is actually on March 29, 2025 (a morning one, so set an alarm), and then August 12, 2026 (the big 96% one). That’s your best bet this decade.

So, to answer your question: the next total solar eclipse in England is in 2090. But if you’re under 50, you have a fighting chance of seeing it. Just remember to stock up on solar glasses, find a hill away from streetlights, and pray for clear skies. And if the clouds roll in? Well, you can always join my support group—we meet every 66 years in a Cornish garden, holding empty cereal boxes and complaining about British weather. See you there?