Science

Builder with own observatory captures solar eclipse

Simon Wallace, who got hooked on astrophotography in lockdown, shares his images of the spectacle.

Published August 13, 2026, 4:37 PM
Updated August 13, 2026, 4:46 PM356
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Builder with own observatory captures solar eclipse

A builder who created an observatory in his back garden has said capturing and livestreaming the solar eclipse was "fantastic".

Simon Wallace became an avid follower of online astrophotographers while he was off work during Covid and now has a fully-automated rig at his home near Stowmarket, Suffolk.

On Wednesday, he spent hours setting up his mobile gear in a rural spot with a clear view of the horizon so he could livestream, external the eclipse to his followers on YouTube.

"I've not seen one like that before - I saw one in March last year, but it wasn't as much of an eclipse as this, so for me it was really quite special," he told Radio Suffolk.

"It's just an incredible thing to see - it doesn't happen very often and it's something everyone can enjoy.

"Even the weather played ball, we didn't have any clouds, it was fantastic."

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