How to Watch a Solar Eclipse Safely: Glasses and Tips

Looking at the Sun without protection can cause permanent damage to the retina, and it does not hurt while it happens. With the right precautions, though, an eclipse is completely safe to enjoy.

The right glasses

Use only eclipse glasses or viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard and carry a CE or UKCA mark. Ordinary sunglasses, however dark, are not enough. Throw away any pair that is scratched, creased or has holes in it. If you are buying online, stick to well-known sellers, as fake glasses with false certification labels do circulate before big eclipses.

When you can take them off

During the partial phases, before and after totality, you must always wear protection. Only during totality, when the Moon completely covers the solar disc and the corona is visible, can you look without a filter. The instant the first bright point reappears, put your glasses back on.

Common mistakes

• Looking through binoculars, a telescope or a phone camera without a solar filter in front: they concentrate the light and are even more dangerous.
• Trusting X-ray films, discs or homemade smoked glass.
• Taking your glasses off before totality has really begun.

A risk-free alternative

Pinhole projection lets you watch the eclipse indirectly: a piece of card with a small hole projects the image of the Sun onto another surface. The shadow of tree leaves does the same, covering the ground with tiny crescents.

Get ready and enjoy

Buy your glasses early, check they are in good condition and bring extra pairs for anyone who forgets theirs. Then, when totality arrives, look up: those few minutes are unforgettable. At Eclipse Snatcher we are preparing souvenirs with the design of your eclipse; join the waitlist.