Solar Eclipse (Partial) - plus (optional) Perseids after dark

Join us for a partial solar eclipse on August 12, where we will witness a significant coverage of the sun by the moon! 🌞🌑 This is the best eclipse since 1999!

📍 Location: Tooting Common (near Dr. Johnson Avenue car park and bus stop)

Eclipse Schedule:

• Eclipse Start: 6:17 PM (moon & sun edges first intersect)
• Maximum Coverage (91%): 7:13 PM (slightly darker sky, cooler temperatures)
• Eclipse End: 8:06 PM (moon leaves sun, near horizon; visibility may be challenging)

🌅 Sunset: 8:28 PM
🌌 Other Planet/Meteor/Star-Gazing: From around 9 PM or later

As this is a partial eclipse, it will only get a little darker and cooler. Weather permitting, we will see the moon cross the sun, achieving up to 91.43% coverage. We will use suitably filter-protected equipment to safely observe the event and any current sunspots.

🔭 I will bring my telescope equipped with a Baader solar filter, along with a few others for detailed views. I will also have a limited number of FREE solar eclipse glasses available, so arrive early! If you have your own viewing tools, such as a card pinhole viewer (see how-to article or another), or a colander, please bring them along and share with others!

Especially welcome are those with specialized highly-filtered solar scopes to show prominences and hydrogen-alpha wavelengths. I can offer travel costs and assistance with carrying equipment.

I will also provide materials to create pinhole projector viewers, which can be a fun activity for kids (with supervision, as pins can be sharp!).

⚠️ Important Safety Notice: DO NOT STARE AT THE SUN OR USE ANY OPTICAL EQUIPMENT WITHOUT PROPER GUIDANCE AND SAFETY. Non-eclipse sunglasses do not protect your eyes from UV/heat when looking directly at the sun.