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Wednesday 12 August 2026

Look west from Ely at 7:11pm

The Moon covers 90.5% of the Sun at maximum, about one fist held at arm’s length above the horizon. It starts at 6:15pm and ends at 8:04pm.

First contact

6:15pm

Wednesday 12 August 2026

Where to look

The Sun's path across the western sky from Ely, drawn at 7 moments. It starts at 6:15pm 19 degrees up bearing W, reaches 90.5% covered at 7:11pm 11 degrees up, and ends at 8:04pm only 3 degrees above the horizon bearing WNW. The Sun sinks as it is eclipsed.5°10°15°20°6:15pm0.0%6:34pm21.7%6:52pm58.1%7:11pm90.5%7:29pm59.4%7:46pm22.8%8:04pm0.0%265°270°275°280°285°290°295°WWNW
The whole eclipse at once, from Ely - seven moments along the Sun’s real path. Height above the horizon and compass bearing are to scale; the Sun and Moon are drawn 4× life size so the crescent is readable, which is also why the discs look closer together than they are. It sinks as it is eclipsed: the deepest moment is also one of the lowest.

Stage by stage

Each stage of the eclipse: the time, how much of the Sun is covered, and where the Sun is in the sky.
StageTimeCoveredSun
First contactthe Moon touches the Sun’s edge18:150.0%19° W
A quarter18:3625.0%16° W
Half18:4950.0%14° W
Three quarters19:0075.0%12° W
Maximumas covered as it gets19:1190.5%11° W
Three quarterson the way down19:2275.0%9° WNW
Halfon the way down19:3350.0%7° WNW
A quarteron the way down19:4525.0%6° WNW
Last contactthe Moon leaves the Sun20:040.0%3° WNW
Sunsetafter the eclipse finishes20:300°
Of the Sun covered
90.5%
by area - the usual figure
Of the Sun’s width
92.0%
across the middle

The whole thing runs 1h 49m - 6:15pm to 8:04pm - and the Sun sinks from 19° to 3° while it happens.

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Cloud on the day

Cloud forecast appears here nearer the day.

Open the live view to move the Sun along that path, play the evening through, and see the cloud forecast beside it.

Will you actually see it?

This is a low eclipse. At maximum the Sun is only 10.6° above the horizon, and by the time it ends it has sunk to 3.0°. Low enough that a two-storey house will hide it unless you are 32 metres or more from it. A back garden may not be enough.

The Sun also tracks along the horizon as the eclipse runs, from west at the start to west-northwest at the end, so a gap in the trees that works at 6:15pm may not work an hour later. The Sun does not set until 8:30pm, so the whole eclipse happens while it is still up. What decides your evening is what stands in the way, not the Sun going down.

You will need certified ISO 12312-2 glasses to look at any of this directly. How to watch safely, or where to get a pair.

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Ely: common questions

What time is the solar eclipse in Ely?

The eclipse begins over Ely at 6:15pm on Wednesday 12 August 2026, reaches its maximum at 7:11pm, and ends at 8:04pm. All times are British Summer Time.

How much of the Sun will be covered in Ely?

90.5% of the Sun's area is covered at maximum. This is a partial eclipse from Ely - the Moon never covers the Sun completely, so a bright sliver stays visible throughout.

Which direction should I look from Ely?

Look west. At maximum the Sun sits 11 degrees above the horizon - about one fist held at arm’s length.

Will I be able to see the eclipse from Ely?

Low enough that a two-storey house will hide it unless you are 32 metres or more from it. A back garden may not be enough. Cloud is the other question, and that is worth checking on the day.

Do I need eclipse glasses?

Yes. There is no moment during this eclipse when it is safe to look at the Sun with unprotected eyes, because it never goes fully dark. Use glasses certified to ISO 12312-2. Sunglasses are not a substitute, no matter how many pairs you stack.