How to Safely Watch the UK's Biggest Solar Eclipse Since 1999

A last-minute scramble across the UK has left major retailers, opticians, and science centers completely sold out of certified solar viewing glasses ahead of Wednesday evening's partial solar eclipse.

The event marks the most significant coverage of the Sun seen in the UK since 1999, with up to 96% of the solar disk obscured by the Moon in certain regions. While countries like Spain, Greenland, and Iceland will experience a total solar eclipse, UK observers will see a dramatic partial eclipse low on the western horizon between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM BST, peaking between 7:05 PM and 7:16 PM BST.

Supply Shortages and Direct Eye Hazards

Distributors and institutions report an unprecedented demand for solar viewing glasses, with the Royal Observatory Greenwich selling out of its entire stock of 15,000 pairs over the last month, while independent suppliers and high street stores ran out of inventory within hours.

Public health officials and eye care experts have warned against using unsafe alternatives such as standard sunglasses, 3D glasses, or dark goggles, which do not filter harmful solar radiation. Because the retina lacks pain receptors, sun damage can occur without immediate discomfort.

"To take images when the Sun is partially eclipsed, you'll need to use a special solar filter to protect your camera, just as you'll need a pair of solar viewing glasses (also called eclipse glasses) to protect your eyes."

NASA also cautions against pointing smartphone cameras directly at the Sun without specialized filters, as the intense light can permanently destroy internal camera sensors.

DIY Projection Methods Using Household Items

Health agencies and eye specialists advise against looking at the Sun directly, emphasizing that indirect projection techniques offer a safe way to observe the celestial event.

1. Construct a Box Projection Viewer:

Cut a piece of white paper and tape it flat against the inside bottom of a cereal box to act as a projection screen.

2. Prepare the Top Openings:

Seal the top of the box completely with tape. Cut out two separate square openings on opposite sides of the top lid.

3. Attach the Foil Filter:

Cover one of the square openings with aluminum foil and secure it with tape. Use a fine pin or needle to poke a small hole through the center of the foil.

4. Align with the Sun:

Stand with your back turned to the Sun. Look into the uncovered square opening with one eye; align the pinhole until a projected image of the eclipse appears on the bottom paper screen.

Additional safe viewing techniques include:

Kitchen Colander: Holding a colander facing the Sun projects dozens of tiny crescent-shaped images onto a white piece of paper held behind it.

Paper Pinhole: Pushing the tip of a pen through a piece of card creates a basic projector when lined up with a second blank sheet held beneath it.

"If you hold the colander to the Sun and you look away from the Sun, protecting your eyes, you can make not just one picture of the Sun but a hundred all at once," explained David Jones, consultant ophthalmologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust.

Livestreams and Alternative Options

For those unable to make a pinhole viewer or find an elevated viewing spot with a clear western horizon, several organizations will stream live feeds online. The Royal Observatory Greenwich, the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh, and ITV News will broadcast live video coverage from 6:00 PM BST onward.

The Moon will not obscure this much of the Sun over the UK again until 2081, with the country's next total solar eclipse scheduled for 2090.