For the first time this century, people across the UK will be able to see an almost total solar eclipse in the evening sky on Wednesday.A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the Earth, blocking the sun’s light either partly or fully. This year, people in the UK and Ireland will see 90-96% of the sun covered by the moon for the first time since 1999 – and it’s their last chance until 2081.Across north-western Europe, people will see about 88-95% coverage, while spectators in parts of Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain will see a total eclipse for up to two minutes and 18 seconds in duration.In the UK, viewers in the west will see the most of the sun obscured: 95% in Plymouth, 93.2% in Cardiff and 93.1% in Belfast. Spectators in Manchester will see 91.9% and Londoners will catch 91.4%. Farther north and east people will see smaller proportions, with Edinburgh at 90.7%, Newcastle at 90.2%. Shetland will have the lowest coverage at 88%.Map of the best locations in UK to view the solar eclipseRoyal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Jess Lee said that these are small differences, and all “will still be impressive sights”. She recommended finding hills with clear views to the west, for example Parliament Hill, Alexandra Palace or Primrose Hill in London, or rooftop venues.Because the eclipse takes place in August, there’s a stronger chance of clear skies. Tom Morgan, a Met Office meteorologist, said it was too early to be confident, but “given the summer we’ve had a lot of the UK will have reasonable viewing conditions”.At present, there is a higher risk of thick cloud and rain in Scotland and Northern Ireland, while the clearest skies are likely to be towards the south and the east of the UK. “For many it’ll be quite a spectacular and rare event,” he said.For Scotland’s astronomer royal, Catherine Heymans, keeping an eye on the clouds is the secret to scoring the best view, since these could partly or entirely obscure the eclipse.