August 12th Solar eclipse

[Oggiman]

On the evening of 12 August, the whole of the UK will see its most dramatic partial solar eclipse in nearly three decades.

The same eclipse will be visible across Europe and some will enjoy the ultimate solar spectacle: a total solar eclipse.

Millions are expected to gather in northern Spain and on the west coast of Iceland, hoping clear skies will allow them to experience an awe-inspiring event as the Sun, the Moon and the Earth line up in space.



If the skies stay clear of clouds, the best views of this partial eclipse will be in the west.

You will not see a full eclipse in the UK as the path of totality passes at sea off the south-west coast.

But the entire UK will be covered by the partial shadow of the Moon, with people in Cornwall and Pembrokeshire seeing about 95% eclipse, and most of the country seeing about 90% coverage.


Starting near the North Pole before tracking south, totality will last up to two minutes and 18 seconds.

It will take 1 and a half hours for the umbra, or moon's sun-blocking shadow, to race along the 5,130-mile (8,260-kilometer) course, most of it over an empty Atlantic. The spectacle will end in the Mediterranean.

 

[Oggiman]

Britons planning to view the upcoming solar eclipse have been warned that even brief exposure to the sun can cause lasting vision damage.

The partial solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth, blocking most of the sun’s light, will be visible across the UK on 12 August.

Royal Museums Greenwich, which runs the Royal Observatory, said that it will be the most complete solar eclipse since August 1999.

Following the total solar eclipse in 1999, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists identified 70 patients with eclipse-related visual loss. Most cases resulted from direct viewing of the eclipse without appropriate eye protection, and about 40 per cent had looked at it for less than a minute. While some recovered useful vision, others were left with persistent visual deficits.

College President Mohamed Elalfy, a consultant ophthalmologist, says the “safest way” to view the eclipse is to “observe it indirectly, such as by watching a live broadcast”.

“Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse can cause damage to the retina, potentially damaging the cells responsible for sharp central vision. Crucially, the retina has no pain receptors, so people will not feel the damage as it happens,” he said.

“Symptoms may only become apparent several hours later and can include blurred vision, a central blind or dark spot, distorted vision, reduced colour perception and increased sensitivity to light. While some people recover over weeks or months, others can be left with permanent visual impairment.”

The advice is simple: never look directly at the sun without appropriate protection.

 

[Oggiman]

The number of people searching "my eyes hurt" on Google soared during last night's once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse, sparking urgent warnings from doctors.

Eager sky-gazers were warned yesterday to avoid staring directly at the sun without special glasses, or risk lifelong damage to their eyesight - including permanent vision loss. Inevitably, not everyone followed the advice - and health experts urged anyone experiencing sudden changes to their vision - such as blurred vision, watering eyes, and headaches - to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

In 1999, when Britain experienced a full solar eclipse, Moorfields Eye Hospital in London received 1,600 calls to its dedicated helpline. Within the first hour, more than 100 people called the helpline complaining of eye problems - with the switchboards remaining busy over the following 24 hours as worry began to spread. Moorfields also treated 220 people in its emergency department for suspected eclipse-related eye issues.

Google searches for eye pain up 1,500%
Internet searches for eye pain, meanwhile, rocketed in Britain and across the world in the wake of the eclipse.

Google search trends suggested some spectators gave in to temptation and looked directly at the sun, with entries for 'my eyes hurt' from UK users up 1,500% on Thursday evening compared with the day before.

Full story HERE