The 1999 solar eclipse in pictures - and why you should probably get new glasses this time

More than 90% of the sun will be obscured by the moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on Wednesday.

It will be the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999.

As the date has drawn closer, excitement has grown, but so too have warnings about the eclipse's potential to damage our eyes.

Experts have warned that only special solar eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 certified for the safest eye protection should be used to view the eclipse.

If you were lucky enough to see the eclipse 27 years ago, you shouldn't use the same solar eclipse glasses again.

The American Astronomical Society advises people to only use solar eclipse glasses that are less than 10 years old - and to "always inspect" the solar filter of their eclipse glasses first to make sure they're not damaged.

"If scratched, punctured, torn or otherwise damaged, discard it," they warn.

Here, Sky News has gone into the archives to show how people watched the UK's last major solar eclipse in 1999.

(c) Sky News 2026: The 1999 solar eclipse in pictures - and why you should probably get new glasses this time