Today's solar eclipse has triggered an unprecedented scramble for specialist glasses to view the spectacle. Stores have been inundated with thousands of people seeking out glasses that will allow you to watch it without damaging your eyes. Across London, convenience stores, national parks and the Royal Greenwich Observatory have all exhausted their glasses supplies ahead of the eclipse, which will be the country's fullest for the next 54 years.
Glasses sell out
The Royal Greenwich Observatory has sold out of its stock of around 15,000 pairs in the last month. The dangers of watching the solar eclipse directly without protection are real. Following the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the eclipse. Around 40% had looked at it for less than a minute.
Build your own pinhole projector
So, if you haven't been able to get your hands on specialist glasses, here's a guide on how to safely view the spectacle. This can be done by making a hole in a piece of card with a pen or a similar pointed object. Hold the card in one hand and a blank piece of paper in the other, face away from the Sun. You can then line the card and paper up so an image of the Sun appears on the paper.
Use a colander
Dig out a colander from your kitchen cupboard as this can be used to create a visually striking display of the solar eclipse inside your home. Simply hold it up with the rim closest to the Sun, and then watch as it creates a shadow with lots of images of the eclipse happening in each hole. Imo Bell, a planetarium astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, said this creates a “really cool” effect. She added: “It’s not a total eclipse, but over 90% is really exciting. We’re not going to get one this good for a really long time. So, it’s important not to miss it, and to be prepared. You can’t just go out and expect to have a look because it’s really dangerous for your eyes.”
Watch a live stream
The Standard will be running a live stream of the solar eclipse from Telegraph Hill in south London. It will be carried out in its liveblog of the build up to the eclipse, and the spectacular event itself.
