Watching August's 2026 solar eclipse from the UK? Stay safe with the best solar eclipse glasses

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August's solar eclipse promises to be breathtaking and we've rounded up the best solar eclipse glasses to watch it safely in the UK. Your eyes will thank you.

Teenage girl looking at solar eclipse wearing the proper protective eyeglasses
Keep your eyes safe when viewing a solar eclipse; one 'wow' moment isn't worth the eye damage. (Image credit: Getty)

Looking forward to the 2026 solar eclipse, happening on Aug. 12? I know I am and even though it's not a total solar eclipse here in the UK (the path of totality crosses Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain), we'll still get to watch the moon obscure around 90% of the Sun, a sight that terrified our ancient ancestors.

However, you'll need proper eye protection, such as solar eclipse glasses, to watch the eclipse safely. Sunglasses are not sufficient for a solar eclipse; instead, you need eclipse glasses that follow ISO 12312-2:2015, the standard for solar viewers. If that number's not somewhere on the glasses, you're at risk of damaging your eyesight, maybe even permanently.

So, read on as we round up the best solar eclipse glasses to buy in the UK. Want a slightly better view? Here are the best places in the UK to see the partial solar eclipse.

Four people wear solar eclipse glasses and look into the sky while smiling

(Image credit: Getty Images)
Celestron EclipSmart Solar Eclipse Glasses
Celestron EclipSmart Solar Eclipse Glasses: £12.99 at Amazon

Celestron is a huge name in optics, and while its solar glasses may not be the absolute cheapest, you're assured of quality and eye safety. £12.99 gets you a four-pack of cardboard-framed ISO-certified eclipse glasses, alongside a mini-book of eclipse information.

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Celestron EclipSmart 3 Piece Solar Eclipse Observing & Imaging Kit.
Celestron EclipSmart 3 Piece Solar Eclipse Observing & Imaging Kit. : £29.99 at Amazon

Another Celestron offering, this includes a mobile phone filter, the aforementioned Celestron mini-book and a pair of solar eclipse glasses. The difference, apart from the price, is that these have plastic frames and so should prove hardier, particularly if you're going to keep them around for the 2027 partial solar eclipse.

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Soluna 2-piece Solar Eclipse glasses
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Soluna 2-piece Solar Eclipse glasses: was £4.99 now £2.99 at Amazon

Get a pair of Soluna solar eclipse glasses for just £2.99, a saving of £2.00. Purchasers report that the cardboard's not the strongest but they provide proper eye protection (as always, ISO 12312-2:2015 is the standard to watch out for).

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Absolute Eclipse Solar Eclipse Fit-Over Glasses
Absolute Eclipse Solar Eclipse Fit-Over Glasses: £25.85 at Amazon

Do you wear glasses daily and don't want to meddle with them for the sake of the eclipse? These Absolute Eclipse Solar Eclipse glasses are designed to fit over your current pair and should be hardy enough to reuse next year.

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Celestron EclipSmart 10x42 Porro Solar Binoculars
Celestron EclipSmart 10x42 Porro Solar Binoculars: £99 at Amazon

If you're prepared to pay a little more, these Celestron EclipSmart 10x42 should be on your solar eclipse shopping list. Not only do their non-removable filters mean you're always protected when you use them, but their 10x zoom level also means that, post-eclipse, you can watch for sunspots.

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Chris McMullen
Chris McMullen
Contributing Writer

Chris is a freelance journalist who, aside from covering games and gaming-related tech, has a taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic. As well as Space.com, you can find his work at The Escapist, GameSpew (where he’s the morning news writer) and more. You can follow him on Twitter @MarmaladeBus.