Viewing safely with the naked eye
Permanent damage will be caused to the retina of the eye if the Sun is
observed without proper protection. Looking directly at the Sun is extremely
dangerous. As long as the eclipse is not total, one must protect
the eyes with an appropriate (!) filter. The smallest fraction of
sunlight can cause damage. Do not experiment when you are not sure of
the quality of the filter. Sunglasses are totally insufficient. Bear in
mind that apparently dark filters may not filter out the highly
dangerous infrared and ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
For the eyes, only a special, certified pair of eclipse viewing glasses
offers the necessary protection. You can buy these from amateur astronomy
clubs and from certain opticians. They are not expensive. Be careful not
to damage the glasses, as this would render them useless.
Buy a pair of eclipse viewing glasses for all members of your group
or for all of your family if you are planning to observe together.
During totality, when you can no longer see anything through your eclipse
viewing glasses, you can take them of. But be sure to put them on again
when totality ends!
Reliable filters
eclipse viewing glasses (with label CE)
welding goggles
Dangerous filters
sunglasses
computer floppy discs
compact discs and CD-ROM
smoked glass
aluminium foil
unused film
X-raysw
polarisation filters
reflection on water
The best buy regarding safety and simplicity is a camera obscura.
It can be ade using an empty cardboard box with a small hole in the
centre of one of the sides.
Another possibility is to cover a small mirror with a piece of cardboard
with a hole in it. Such a mirror canbe used to project an image of the
Sun on any screen (such as a smooth wall).
Observing safely with binoculars, telescope, camera or video-camcorder
If you wish to use a telescope, a camera or a video-camcorder, then you
need different, special filters. Eclipse viewing glasses are not sufficient.
Never use a filter that you have to attach at the end of your instrument
where you hold your eye. A good filter belongs at the end where light
enters the instrument (i.e. in front of the lens).
Ask a specialist for advice.
During totality, when you can no longer see anything through your eclipse
viewing glasses, you can take them of. But be sure to put them on again
when totality ends!
Caution: the light of the Sun is amplified by the optical instrument. The
safest and simplest observing method is to project an image of
the Sun on a screen.
Keep an eye on the scatter-brains in your group as it is quite easy to peek
through the eye-piece and cause permanent damage to the retina.
ECLIPSE Webmaster
