It will be the most spectacular celestial show of its kind for 16 years and won ’ t happen again for a decade . But those hoping to witness Friday ’ s solar eclipse could be disappointed – as clouds may block their view . The dramatic partial eclipse begins at 8.30am and will reach its maximum point around an hour later . Scroll down for video . Friday 's solar eclipse will be the most spectacular celestial show of its kind 16 years , but the incredible sight could be blocked by clouds ( file picture ) It will see the country plunged into near-darkness during the morning rush hour and the temperature will drop noticeably . The phenomenon – in which the moon moves in front of the sun – will be most visible in more remote parts of the country , which are said to offer the perfect viewing environment . And the proportion of the sun covered will increase towards the north of the country , ranging from 84 per cent in London to 89 per cent in Manchester and 93 per cent in Edinburgh . Northern Scotland is expected to have the best view , with the Isle of Lewis seeing around 98 per cent of the sun hidden and Shetland around 97 per cent . However , forecasters warn early predictions show there may be cloudier skies in the north of the UK – which could ruin the view for astronomy enthusiasts . Glenn Spencer , forecaster at Meteogroup , said : ‘ The South will get the best of the breaks between clouds and it will get cloudier the further north you go . It ’ s not the greatest situation . The South will see about 60 to 70 per cent cloud cover – which is enough to be able to see the sun . ‘ In the north the sky will be almost completely covered by cloud . However , it is still early and the situation could quite easily change by Friday . It ’ s luck of the draw at the moment. ’ Get out your glasses : Special shades like this are a good bet for watching Britain 's first great eclipse this century , with the next partial eclipse of this magnitude not set to take place until 2026 . The timeline for the eclipse in Manchester . First sight will come at 8.20am and maximum eclipse at 9.32am . Cloudy skies also meant spectators struggled to see the UK ’ s last eclipse on August 11 , 1999 , but the effect was still dramatic as the country was pitched into darkness . The next eclipse of similar magnitude will take place on August 12 , 2026 , with 95 per cent of the sun obscured . Britain will not see a total solar eclipse until September 23 , 2090 . Anticipating Friday ’ s event , Robin Scagell from the Society for Popular Astronomy said : ‘ We won ’ t experience totality [ of darkness ] in the UK but it will still be memorable . ‘ Depending on where you are , up to 90 per cent of the sun will be covered over . ‘ You ’ d think everything would go virtually black , but it doesn ’ t , it ’ s about equal to a fair bit of high cloud in front of the sun . But it has this eerie quality , especially on a clear day . You think , hang on , it ’ s getting darker , but there are no clouds. ’ Experts have issued a reminder that people must be aware of possible damage to their vision if they fail to take the necessary precautions while watching the phenomenon . As with normal daylight , people should avoid looking directly at the sun – even if it is partly hidden or they are wearing sunglasses .
Friday 's solar eclipse - the first in 16 years - could be ruined by clouds . The view of the celestial show will be best in the far north of Scotland . Forecasters fear it will be overcast in the north of the UK at time of eclipse . The Moon will pass between the Sun and the Earth in this landmark event . It will cast a deep shadow over the planet 's surface in a partial eclipse .