27 years ago, Sheffield was plunged into darkness by a partial eclipse - this week, it will happen again.
The partial solar eclipse of 1999 blotted out 92 per cent of the sun’s light in Sheffield, while parts of the the furthest southern edges of England were treated to a total blackout.
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Sheffield will again see a partial solar eclipse - this time blocking out 91 per cent of the sun.
As families across the city rush to hunt down viewing glasses or look up how to make cereal box projectors, these photos from 1999 show some things never change.
These retro pictures from 1999 show Sheffield shoppers stopping in the high street to see the eclipse, as well as some intrepid viewers who went to the heights of the peaks in Derbyshire or the former Ski Village on Parkwood Springs to see the display.
Maybe some of these viewers are still in Sheffield today - and maybe some still have their glasses from 27 years ago!
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1. Outside town hall
Rosie Smith, aged five, from Woodseats, views the 1999 eclipse from outside Sheffield Town Hall on Pinstone Street. | Picture Sheffield Newspapers Ltd
2. From the Ski Village
Martin King and his dog Roff watching the 1999 eclipse over Sheffield ski village. | Sheffield Newspapers Ltd
3. From Fox House Inn
Viewing the eclipse from near the Fox House Inn, Derbyshire. Left to right are, from Rotherham, Daniel Cooney, 9, Paul Cooney,11, Kay Cooney, Olwen Smith, 61, and Geoffrey Smith, 63. | Picture Sheffield Newspapers Ltd
4. Lecture
Professor John Parkinson of Sheffield Hallam University a world expert on eclipses and 82 yr old Aubrey Nettleship who experienced the last eclipse in 1927 show youngsters from Sheffield how to make the most out of the forthcoming eclipse as Royal Mail launched their latest Millennium stamps one of which depicts a photograph taken by the Hubble Space telescope. | Hicks Photographers