Eclipse Glasses: A Century of Looking Up

As the UK prepares for its most significant solar eclipse in 54 years, historical artifacts offer a unique connection to past celestial events. Images released show 'Eclipsia' glasses, designed for eclipse viewing nearly a century ago, complete with instructions and maps indicating areas of totality. These artifacts, alongside photographic glass plates from an 1875 eclipse captured by physicist Arthur Schuster, have been shared by the Royal Society.

The upcoming eclipse on Wednesday will see more than 90% of the sun obscured between 6:17 PM and 8:06 PM, an event not witnessed at this scale since 1999. National parks and observatories have reported sold-out supplies of certified eclipse glasses, highlighting public enthusiasm. The Royal Greenwich Observatory alone sold 15,000 pairs recently.

Ophthalmologists are issuing stern warnings about eye safety. They stress that only ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses should be used, as regular sunglasses offer inadequate protection. Direct observation of the sun during an eclipse can cause severe retinal damage, leading to symptoms like blurred vision, blind spots, and reduced color perception. Tragically, these effects can be permanent, as demonstrated by cases following the 1999 eclipse.