First year students at Portobello High had an extra surprise waiting for their very first day at high school – solar eclipse glasses.
Students will be able to watch the solar eclipse tonight safely thanks to the Royal Astronomer of Scotland.
Over 300 pupils have been given solar eclipse glasses so they can watch the most significant solar eclipse since 1999. Around 90 per cent of the sun will be blocked by the moon today, Wednesday 12 August 2026, from around 6pm.
Watching the rare phenomenon that creates a few moments of darkness requires special glasses so permanent damage isn’t caused to the eyes. The eye wear has been proving very difficult to source and any shops with stock selling out instantly.
The Royal Astronomer of Scotland, Professor Catherine Heymans, has been working alongside Portobello High School students in a space programme with the physics department and has provided 300 of the glasses for the entire S1 class.
Convenor for Education, Children and Families. James Dalgleish, said:
This is a fantastic gift for our first year students at Portobello High School.
An eclipse is such a rare event with the last being in 1999 and the next in the UK to be in 2090. It is fantastic for our young people to be able to watch the solar eclipse safely.
Seeing a solar eclipse is a life event and could well inspire a whole new generation of astronomers for Edinburgh.”