A SAFETY warning has been issued to anyone hoping to witness the partial solar eclipse in Salisbury and beyond on Wednesday (August 12).
Although not a total eclipse from the UK, the moon will completely obscure the sun in some parts of the world including across Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean and Spain. However, it will still be quite the spectacle for people in the South West of the country, with the very large partial eclipse achieving around 96% totality in Cornwall, falling to 91% in Aberdeen.
The last total eclipse experienced on UK soil was on August 11, 1999 over Cornwall and part of south Devon. Totality was observable from the English Channel and the island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, but was almost universally clouded out on the British mainland. Observers noted birds falling silent, daylight colours turning to grey, and temperatures falling.
There won’t be another eclipse reaching totality in the UK until September 23, 2090 which will occur very near sunset, on the very same day as the1699 eclipse. It is calculated that maximum duration will happen over Cornwall lasting 2 minutes and 10 seconds.
What time is the eclipse?
The South West is set to be plunged into darkness between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday evening (August 12).
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued guidance for people hoping to watch the drama unfold – and avoid damaging their eyesight, potentially permanently.
“It’s a rare and exciting event that many people will be keen to watch,” a UKHSA spokesperson said. “But looking directly at the Sun without the right protection can cause permanent damage to your eyesight.”
“People watching in the South West are likely to see the greatest proportion of the Sun covered by the Moon,” they went on.
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“According to Royal Museums Greenwich, this will be the most coverage seen from the UK and Ireland since the 1999 solar eclipse – which was total from most of Cornwall and Devon – making it a genuinely special occasion.”
But they warned people to take precautions “even if it’s cloudy”, as “cloud cover does not make it safe to look at the Sun”.
They said the sun being dimmed during an eclipse was “precisely the problem”.
“The reduced brightness can override the body’s natural reflex to look away, allowing intense sunlight to reach and damage the retina,” the spokesperson went on.
“This damage happens without causing any pain, so you may not realise harm is occurring until it’s too late.”
After the total solar eclipse in August 1999, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems due to looking at the Sun, with around 40% looking at it for less than a minute.
“Ordinary sunglasses – no matter how dark – do not provide adequate protection for viewing a solar eclipse,” the UKHSA added.
“They reduce glare, making it feel more comfortable to look at the Sun for longer, while still allowing harmful solar radiation to reach the retina. Never use regular sunglasses to look at the Sun during an eclipse.
How to view eclipse safely
There are two safe approaches to view the eclipse safely, says the UKHSA – specialist eclipse viewers, or indirect viewing methods.
The UKHSA spokesperson said: “If you want to use eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, make sure they are genuine eclipse glasses with specially designed filters that meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E).
“Genuine eclipse glasses are available from reputable retailers, including Royal Museums Greenwich. Be cautious of products sold online that may not meet this requirement.
“If you’re unsure whether a product is certified, don’t use it. Don’t use eclipse glasses if the lenses are scratched, torn or damaged.
“Alternatively, you can watch the eclipse indirectly without any specialist equipment at all.
“Safe options include: a pinhole viewer, which you can easily make at home viewing the Sun’s image projected through a colander or the gaps between tree leaves; projecting the Sun’s image onto a sheet of paper using a simple pinhole projector.”
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