Worthing Astronomers to host free solar eclipse event
A Worthing astronomy group is inviting residents to witness a near-total solar eclipse at a free event.
Worthing Astronomers will be on the west side of the treeline at Goring Gap from 6pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday, August 12.
The group will hand out hundreds of free solar glasses so locals can safely witness the spectacle.
A few telescopes with solar filters attached will also be available for members of the public to use.
Around 95 per cent of the Sun will be covered by the Moon in what is expected to be the deepest solar eclipse visible from the UK and Ireland since 1999.
In Worthing, the eclipse will begin at about 6.18pm and reach its maximum at 7.14pm, lasting around one hour and 49 minutes in total.
Paul Ibbitson, who co-runs Worthing Astronomers, said: “The event is a near total (partial) solar eclipse for us in the UK.
“Day will pretty much turn to night during this period and you will notice that birds and other wildlife will fall silent as they are tricked into believing that it is night time.
"We will have around 400 pairs of solar glasses that we will be handing out for free to the public so that they can safely view the event with us at the location.”
For more information, visit: www.worthingastronomers.org.uk/solar_eclipse_2026/.