Marlborough Dark Skies

26/08/2026

Set your alarm for this one!

12/08/2026

Here are some top tips and useful information from Gavin at The Blackett Observatory ahead of tonight’s celestial events……

• The solar eclipse in its totality is visible from Iceland and Spain, while in Marlborough we will see a 90% partial eclipse. First contact is at 18:17 BST, maximum eclipse at 19:13 BST and last contact at 20:07 BST. Look to the setting Sun in the west, but take great care, you should only look directly at the Sun through a suitable solar filter, even at maximum eclipse. Good luck with your eclipse viewing!

• The Perseid meteor shower peaks this evening too. This is one of the best meteor showers of the year and with it coinciding with New Moon, it should be a vintage year! The maximum rate is around 150 meteors per hour, but you might expect to see around 80 or so an hour. Look anywhere in the sky, but you will notice that they all appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, hence the name. The shower’s progenitor is comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

Amazing photo's courtesy of our very own Nick Howes, taken during the total solar eclipse in China back in 2009

10/08/2026

Please 'look up' safely on Wednesday..... If you didn't manage to get yourself some proper solar eclipse glasses, all is not lost..... read on!

🌞 LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE? PROTECT YOUR EYES! 🌞

On Wednesday 12 August, observers across the UK will be treated to a partial solar eclipse. While the Moon will cover part of the Sun, it will NEVER be safe to look directly at the Sun from the UK.

⚠️ DO NOT look at the eclipse with your naked eyes. Because the Sun is never completely covered in the UK, even a quick glance can cause permanent and irreversible eye damage.

✅ Safe ways to enjoy the eclipse

🕶️ Use only certified eclipse glasses that comply with ISO 12312-2. Check they are in good condition before using them.

🌳 Watch nature's pinhole cameras. Look for crescent-shaped images of the Sun projected through gaps between leaves onto the ground.

🥣 Use a bowl or bucket of still water. You can safely observe the reflection of the eclipsed Sun on the water's surface. Never look directly at the Sun itself.

🍝 Use a kitchen colander. Hold it so sunlight passes through the holes onto a white sheet of paper or a light-coloured surface. Each hole projects a tiny image of the partially eclipsed Sun.

📦 Make a simple pinhole projector. A small hole in a piece of card projects the Sun's image onto another surface, allowing you to watch the Moon slowly move across the Sun.

🚫 Never use:
• Sunglasses
• Smoked glass
• CDs or DVDs
• X-ray film
• Camera filters
• Binoculars or telescopes without a proper front-mounted solar filter

🔭 Important: Looking through binoculars or a telescope without a certified solar filter fitted to the front of the instrument can cause instant blindness.

🌞 At Dark Sky Wales, we want everyone to enjoy this incredible celestial event safely. Whether you're watching from your garden, school or local park, remember:

👀 If you're in the UK, NEVER look directly at the Sun during the eclipse. Use safe viewing methods instead.

Stay safe, enjoy the spectacle, and let's all hope for clear skies! 🌤️

04/08/2026

Where are you going to be watching it?

21/07/2026

☀️🌑 Partial Solar Eclipse | August 12 | 18:15-20:00

As the Moon moves in front of the Sun, observers will witness the most dramatic eclipse over the UK since 1999, with over 90% of the Sun covered at its peak. Light levels will drop and the air will feel cooler, as the Sun becomes a striking crescent on the horizon.
Fun fact - if you’re hoping to view a total eclipse from the UK, you’ll have to wait until 2090!

⏰ Local timings: • Begins: 18:17 • Maximum: 19:13 • Ends: 20:06
👀 Viewing tips:
*Find a clear view to the western horizon
*Never look directly at the Sun - use eclipse glasses or try projection methods such as a pinhole viewer

20/07/2026

Are you passionate about the protection and preservation of our night skies.... if so, add your name to join the campaign

28/04/2026

Our very own Nick Howes, space systems technical lead at BMT and long time space enthusiast, writer and public speaker, explores satellites, collisions, debris and the plethora of threats that could lead to global meltdown, in his upcoming talk "What if we lost access to space?"

Join Nick on Thursday 21st May from 2.15pm at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Bath

Click the link for more information and to book your FREE ticket

Satellites, collisions, debris and the plethora of threats that could lead to global meltdown.