THE UK is gearing up for a sensational celestial show on Wednesday, when the best solar eclipse in decades will grace our skies.
But with fast, people are the phenomenon.
A safe way of watching the eclipse is through a pinhole viewer
The Met Office has made this handy chart showing when and where the sun will be most obscured by the moon, and by how much Credit: Met Office
Even if you do manage to buy a genuine pair online, they most likely won’t arrive on time for the .
A Royal Observatory Greenwich spokesperson said: “We have sold out of solar eclipse glasses, both online and in our shops, due to an unprecedented volume of orders.”
How do you make a pinhole eclipse viewer?
If proper glasses are unavailable, the best way to see Wednesday’s partial is to make an indirect viewer instead.
All you need to do is punch a small, clean hole in one piece of card and use a second section white card as a screen in your other hand or on the floor.
You have to stand with your back to the Sun, hold the holed card above the screen and let sunlight pass through it.
The distance between the cards needs to be adjusted until a small image of the Sun appears clearly on the other white card below.
During this week’s , it should appear as a crescent.
Only watch the projected image – never turn around and look at the Sun through the hole.
Looking directly at the Sun may damage the retina without causing any pain.
So it is possible to cause a permanent injury without even noticing anything is wrong until it is too late.
Regular sunglasses are also unsafe for viewing a , no matter how much they cost or how dark they might appear.
Those hoping to view the solar eclipse can use a colander to protect their eyes during the spectacle Credit: AFP via Getty Images
What other ways can you watch the eclipse without glasses?
There are even simpler ways to enjoy the that need no assembly whatsoever.
UKHSA says “you can watch the eclipse indirectly without any specialist equipment at all”, listing safe options including “viewing the Sun’s image projected through a colander or the gaps between tree leaves”.
For the colander method you will also want a sheet of white card or paper.
Lay it on the ground or hold it out, stand with your back to the Sun and position the colander so sunlight shines through its holes onto the card.
Each hole will then project its own tiny crescent Sun.
The tree method requires nothing at all – stand under a leafy tree and look at the shadows on the ground, where the gaps between leaves act as natural pinholes.
What time will the eclipse happen in the UK?
On Wednesday, August 12, a deep partial will sweep across the UK.
Astronomers have said it will be the most striking eclipse Britain has seen since 1999.
The Moon will cover between 90% and 96% of the Sun in the UK
Between 90% and 96% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon n the ,.
Depending on where you are, the at around 6.15pm, with the roughly an hour later between 7.05pm and 7.15pm, and the event finishing just after 8pm.
As the eclipse occurs in the evening in the UK, the sun will be low in the western sky, so you will need a clear, unobstructed view towards the horizon.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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