03/08/2026
PEMBROKESHIRE SET FOR SPECTACULAR 94% SOLAR ECLIPSE
Pembrokeshire will have a front-row seat for one of the most impressive solar eclipses visible from Britain in decades.
On Wednesday 12 August, the Moon will cover about 94% of the Sun above the county, leaving only a brilliant curved sliver visible at the height of the eclipse.
The spectacle will unfold during the early evening and last for almost two hours. Assuming, of course, that the Pembrokeshire clouds have read the itinerary.
Local eclipse times
The precise timing varies slightly across the county:
- St Davids and the far west: Begins at about 6.15pm, reaches maximum at 7.13pm and ends at 8.07pm.
- Strumble Head and the Fishguard coast: Maximum coverage of around 94% at 7.13pm. The Sun will be about 14 degrees above the west-north-west horizon.
- Haverfordwest and central Pembrokeshire: Begins at about 6.16pm, reaches maximum at 7.13pm and ends at 8.07pm.
- Pembroke and southern Pembrokeshire: Begins at about 6.16pm, reaches maximum at 7.13pm and ends at 8.07pm.
Milford Haven, Tenby and other parts of the county will see effectively the same sequence, with differences of no more than about a minute.
The western edge of Pembrokeshire will get a fraction more coverage, but clear skies and an open horizon will be far more important than driving across the county for an extra decimal point.
What will we actually see?
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. Although the Sun is vastly larger than the Moon, it is also much farther away, making the two appear almost the same size in our sky.
On this occasion, Pembrokeshire will sit outside the Moon’s central shadow. That means we will see a deep partial eclipse rather than totality.
The Moon will first appear to take a small bite from the Sun shortly after 6.15pm. That bite will grow steadily until around 7.13pm, when roughly 94% of the Sun’s visible surface will be hidden.
The sky will not turn completely black and we will not see the Sun’s corona, as people inside the path of totality will. However, the daylight should become noticeably dimmer, shadows may look unusually sharp and there could be a small drop in temperature.
Where should you watch?
The eclipsed Sun will be fairly low in the west-north-west, so choose somewhere with an open view in that direction.
Strumble Head has been named as one of the best eclipse-viewing locations in Britain because of its broad western horizon. St Davids Head and other west-facing coastal locations should also offer impressive views if skies are clear.
You do not necessarily need a dramatic clifftop. A garden, field or open public space with an unobstructed western view may be just as effective, and rather less crowded.
Do not look directly at it
Despite 94% of the Sun being covered, the remaining crescent will still be bright enough to cause permanent eye damage.
Ordinary sunglasses are not safe. Use proper eclipse glasses marked with the safety standard ISO 12312-2, or watch indirectly using a pinhole projector. A colander can also project dozens of tiny crescent Suns onto the ground.
Never look at the eclipse through unfiltered binoculars, a telescope or a camera lens. These concentrate sunlight and can cause serious injury almost instantly.
Why is this eclipse special?
The path of totality will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, Spain and a small corner of Portugal. It will be the first total solar eclipse visible from central or western Europe since 1999.
Britain will not experience another total solar eclipse until 2090, so this is not an event to casually leave until next time.
There is also a bonus. The Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight on 12 and 13 August, with virtually no moonlight to spoil the view. If the sky stays clear, Pembrokeshire could enjoy an eclipse in the evening followed by shooting stars after dark.
Will our fans be watching from the coast, the countryside or your own back garden?
