A partial solar eclipse will take place on Wednesday, August 12. It starts at 19:17 and peaks at 20:11, when 88% of the sun will be covered.

Unfortunately, the sun and moon will be just 8 degrees above the horizon. You'll need a spot with a clear view of the western horizon. The boulevard between Bloemendaal aan Zee and Zandvoort is an obvious choice.

The eclipse ends at 21:03, and the sun sets shortly after at 21:13. If it's clear, you'll see the whole thing, though it'll be right above the horizon.

This is the largest eclipse visible in the Netherlands in the 21st century. Further south, the moon will cover more of the sun, and in large parts of northern Spain, there will be a total solar eclipse.

Even if only 12% of the sunlight reaches us, eclipse glasses are absolutely necessary. These glasses are available at our observatory for €3.50 each.

We will host a special event for this, but details aren't finalized yet. Because the eclipse is too low, it cannot be seen through our large telescope. We will hold the event at a different location, possibly connecting it to the Perseids. For more information, check our agenda.