Stay SAFE during the solar eclipse, folks !
A solar eclipse is a fascinating thing to experience … and we will hopefully all get an opportunity to see a good one this Friday morning, the dark shape of our Moon gradually blotting out a portion of the Sun’s surface. But do you know what the most important part of it is ?
SAFETY. Nothing is as important as safety. Not even close. It only takes a fraction of a second to damage your sight. NEVER look straight at the Sun unless you are 100 per cent sure that you have enough protection in place. Sunglasses are NOT enough. Old bits of photographic film are not enough. Have a look at this article for more information.
The worst danger is from binoculars and telescopes. NEVER ever use such a device for looking at the Sun unless it’s specially adapted – for instance, for H Alpha radiation. If there is the slightest doubt … don’t do it.
What is a safe way to look at the event ? Use an approved filter to look through and make very sure it’s new and not scratched. OR … make a small hole in a piece of card and project an image of the Sun on a piece of white card. You can use your small telescope to do this too … and you’ll get an even nicer image – but get someone to help you who has done this before. There is a danger from all telescopes, and even small finder scopes can easily cause blindness.
Having said all this … enjoy ! I am considering escaping in a Northerly direction so I can see a totality .. the Sun completely obscured. This is a stupendous event, if it’s seen clearly, and really a total solar eclipse is something very different from a partial – quite life-changing. If I get there, and I’m not clouded out, I’ll tell you how it is !
Cheers
Bri
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