Retailers across the UK have sold out of solar eclipse glasses as shoppers travelled miles to secure a pair ahead of what's set to be the most spectacular solar eclipse since the turn of the century. Convenience stores, national parks and the Royal Greenwich Observatory have all exhausted their stocks in preparation for Wednesday's solar eclipse, which will be the most significant visible in the UK for the next 54 years.
Retailers and observatory sell out
The Royal Greenwich Observatory told the Press Association they had sold roughly 15,000 pairs of eclipse glasses – selling out entirely – over the past month. Tickets to their viewing event have also been snapped up, though they will provide a free live stream on their website and YouTube channel.
A convenience store in Whitechapel, London, has been forced to turn away numerous customers hoping to purchase the specialist eyewear. Proprietor Ali Raza, who runs the AM2PM shop, told the Press Association that people had been making lengthy journeys to obtain a pair.
Mr Raza explained: "On Sunday we had people coming from Surrey, Southend-on-Sea, yesterday night a lady came from Southampton, and loads of people have come from Birmingham as well. We're too busy. Today I already sold 6,000 pairs. At 2.30am we had a delivery from Spain and by 9.30am we sold out everything."
Eclipse details and viewing spots
Over 90% of the sun will be concealed by the moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on 12 August – the greatest obscuration witnessed in the UK since the total eclipse in 1999. Across the UK, Devon, Cornwall and the westernmost regions of Pembrokeshire in Wales are expected to experience the eclipse at its most dramatic, with between 94% and 96% of the sun covered by the moon.
Authorities at Exmoor National Park, in north Devon, told the Press Association they have witnessed "large numbers" of visitors arriving to observe the eclipse there. The park holds international dark sky reserve status, and a spokesperson revealed they "couldn't keep up with demand" for eclipse glasses.
They said: "We got to a point where we couldn't get any more from our supplier in time and we don't need them again, not until 2081. As a national park centre, we've seen an increase in visitors specifically to our centre looking for those glasses and to ask us where would be the best places to go and look at it. We advise people to go up to high moorlands or coastal headlands, or Dunkery Beacon, the highest point on Exmoor, because you get an elevated view across to the west. We've sold over 300 pairs of glasses but we could've sold that twice over."
Exmoor is also hosting a now fully-booked guided walk departing from the Hunters Inn pub, where attendees will observe from Highveer Point. At South Downs National Park, a minimum of five astronomy groups are organising events, with the eclipse followed by the annual Perseid meteor shower.
Weather forecast and safety advice
The Met Office indicated weather conditions throughout most of the nation will be "more or less perfect" for eclipse observation. A spokesperson told the Press Association: "With clear skies forecast across much of the UK, conditions should be more or less perfect for many to experience the partial solar eclipse. The north and west of the country are most likely to struggle with cloud cover when viewing the eclipse on Wednesday evening, particularly across Northern Ireland and western Scotland. The rest of Scotland and northern England may also see a good deal of high-level cloud, making skies rather hazy. The best opportunities for viewing the eclipse are likely to be south of a line from Aberystwyth to Lincoln."
A planetarium astronomer at the observatory told the Press Association that proper eyewear is essential for safely observing the eclipse, with standard sunglasses proving inadequate for protection. Imo Bell explained that solar telescopes – including those being used at the observatory's sold-out viewing event – or everyday household items with holes such as colanders provide effective methods for watching the eclipse, though eclipse glasses remain the preferred option.
She explained: "You can use solar eclipse glasses, which are very, very different from sunglasses – they block out so much light that you can't see anything through them except the sun, because that's how much light they need to block for the damaging light of the sun to be safe to view. And if all else fails, you can project the image of the eclipse using a household item like a colander which has lots of holes in – point the colander towards the Sun with your back facing it, and in the shadow of the colander you'll be able to see the eclipse in the holes, which is really cool."
Specialists have cautioned that only dedicated solar eclipse glasses bearing ISO 12312-2 certification should be used for the safest viewing of the eclipse. After the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists documented approximately 70 instances of individuals suffering vision difficulties following their observation of the event. Roughly 40% had observed it for under a minute.
