A Brief Interruption to the English Evening

London is scheduled to plunge into ninety percent darkness tonight between 19:02 and 19:16, which is terrifyingly prompt for the solar system. One moment you are contemplating tea, and the next, the cosmos decides to turn off the big light.

For anyone planning to step outside and stare bewilderedly at the sky, a few essential rules of engagement:

😎 Protect the peepers. Do not look directly at the sun without proper solar glasses. A massive shout-out to our neighbour Sean, who saved the day with a spare pair. Absolute legend.

🤳📷 Spare your camera. Do not attempt to photograph the spectacle without special filters, unless your afternoon plans tomorrow involve frantically ordering a new phone lens while weeping quietly over your bank balance.

🐶🙀 Pity the pets. Keep your four-legged family members safely indoors. The sudden, unannounced disappearance of the sun is deeply stressful for creatures who were relying on it for a scheduled nap.

🖥️ Stream it safely. Truthfully, the safest and most civilized way to watch the celestial machinery at work without risking your retinas is online, from the comfort of a comfortable chair.

Catch the live coverage here: Royal Greenwich Observatory Eclipse Coverage