Astronomers have revealed photographs of glasses from 1927 used to view eclipses, ahead of the best solar eclipse in decades this evening.
More than 90% of the sun will be obscured by the moon between 6.17pm and 8.06pm on Wednesday, the most it has been blocked above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999.
On Wednesday, images from the Royal Society showed “Eclipsia” glasses specially designed for viewing eclipses almost a hundred years ago.
The red and black rectangular glasses came with a book of instructions along with an Ordnance Survey map showing the areas of totality in England, the society said.
Meanwhile, experts have warned that only special solar eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 certified for the safest eye protection should be used to view Wednesday’s eclipse and that sunglasses were not sufficient.
Following the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the eclipse, with around 40% having looked at it for less than a minute.
The images from the Royal Society were released on Wednesday along with others of photographic glass plates taken of a total solar eclipse in 1875.
The plates have been returned by the society to the Royal Astronomical Society in London after being rediscovered in an archive.
They include images captured by 23-year-old physicist Arthur Schuster who joined a Royal Society expedition to Thailand, then known as Siam, to view the eclipse.
The looming eclipse has seen people travel for miles to get their hands on a pair of eclipse glasses ahead of the event on Wednesday evening.
Convenience stores, national parks and the Royal Greenwich Society have all exhausted their eclipse glasses supply ahead of what will be the UK’s fullest eclipse for the next 54 years.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory said it had sold approximately 15,000 pairs of eclipse glasses, selling out, in the last month.
It has also sold out tickets to their viewing event, but will offer a free viewing live stream on its website and on YouTube.
A convenience store in Whitechapel had to turn away scores of customers hoping to get the specialist glasses, with its owner, Ali Raza, saying customers had been travelling far and wide to get a pair.
Raza, who owns the AM2PM store, said: “On Sunday we had people coming from Surrey, Southend-on-Sea, yesterday night a lady came from Southampton, and loads of people have come from Birmingham as well. We’re too busy.
“Today I already sold 6,000 pairs. At 2.30 am we had a delivery from Spain, and by 9.30 am we sold out everything.”
More than 90% of the sun will be obscured by the moon between 6.17 pm and 8.06 pm on August 12 – the most it has been blocked in the UK since the total eclipse in 1999.
In the UK, Devon, Cornwall and the westernmost parts of Pembrokeshire in Wales are set to see the eclipse at its fullest, with a range of 94% to 96% of the sun obscured by the moon.
Experts have warned that only special solar eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 certified for the safest eye protection should be used to view the eclipse.
Following the 1999 total solar eclipse, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists reported around 70 cases of people experiencing vision problems after watching the eclipse.
Around 40% had looked at it for less than a minute.
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