Put the colander back on its hook – the eclipse is over. 23 favourite reactions to the pre-Clacton portent
The total (or near-total) solar eclipse came and went in an avalanche of colanders, pinhole cameras, and eclipse glasses that people had queued for hours to buy.
Spain got the full show …
Eclipse Totality hits Spain! #SolarEclipse
— NASA | ESA Space Updates (@nasaupdates.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 19:38
Further north, we weren’t quite as fortunate.
Just seen the 94% partial eclipse in the UK, first taster
🌞— kobay-ashimaru.bsky.social (@kobay-ashimaru.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 20:30
It was still quite the spectacle, and the most impressive eclipse the UK will see until 2090.
“This reminds us of what it is to be human. That we are a small planet in a vast cosmos. And we see the Sun, in its beautiful, hidden form. Amazing.”
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 19:36
It wasn’t all awe and wonder. Some people are Trump-coded.
Google UK searches for “eyes hurt” this evening is just another of a million reasons we can’t have nice things.
via @berryh.bsky.social
— Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 22:20
Bluesky users shared their thoughts and experiences – not all of them entirely serious.
1.
Turtle eclipse
— MꙬse Allain (@mooseallain.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 19:35
2.
3.
We’re a weird species. We can send rockets to the moon. We can fuck up the world with data centres. We can create addictive apps. But when the moon crosses the sun we lose our shit.
— Jay Rayner (@jayrayner1.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 19:05
4.
Best eclipse photo ever.
— The Spirit of Lorenzo the Cat (@lorenzothecat.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 15:00
5.
If you missed the solar eclipse, this is what it looked like:
— Ramin Nasibov (@nasibov.me) 12 August 2026 at 13:37
6.
Eclipse day!
— Twonks (@twonks.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 12:51
7.
Don't be like Trump #eclipse
— Larry the Cat (@number10cat.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 15:07
8.
Notice for cat owners: Your cat will expect breakfast to be served as soon as the eclipse is over.
— Larry the Cat (@number10cat.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 10:58
9.
What the FUCK just happened with the sun? Did anybody see that? That was some bullshit. I don’t pay my taxes to have the sun slack off. Vote Reform.
— Chris Addison (@mrchrisaddison.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 20:35
10.
— Richard Littler (@richardlittler.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 19:40
11.
Just take a minute to imagine all the second-hand Pervert Glasses available on eBay tomorrow after the current owners wore them to view the eclipse today, forever capturing that precious moment in time when the sun's brilliance scorched their retinas.
— Simon Pegg (@simonpegg.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 17:46
12.
If you enjoyed this eclipse, you should pop the date of the next one in your colander.
— MꙬse Allain (@mooseallain.bsky.social) 12 August 2026 at 19:33