Britons are getting ready for the best solar eclipse in decades with one retail giant saying colander sales have “surged”.
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.
Convenience stores, national parks and the Royal Greenwich Observatory have all exhausted their glasses supplies ahead of the eclipse, which will be the country’s fullest for the next 54 years.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory said it had sold approximately 15,000 pairs of eclipse glasses, a sellout, in the last month.
John Lewis said colander sales have increased nearly 40% compared to last year, as Nasa recommends the kitchen item as a way to watch the eclipse by viewing the shadows it casts on the ground.
A spokesperson said: “Colander sales have surged nearly 40% compared to last year, as shoppers prepare for tonight’s eclipse.
“We’ve still got plenty of stock for anyone wanting to view this solar phenomenon safely, and, unlike eclipse glasses, you can use it to strain your spaghetti for dinner afterwards.”
Imo Bell, a planetarium astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, said: “You can project the image of the eclipse using a household item like a colander which has lots of holes in, point the colander towards the sun with your back facing it, and in the shadow of the colander you’ll be able to see the eclipse in the holes, which is really cool.”
Only special solar eclipse glasses that are ISO 12312-2 certified for the safest eye protection should be used to view the eclipse and sunglasses are not sufficient, experts said.
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.
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.
Plymouth in particular is forecast to see the Moon cover 94.66% of the sun at 7.16pm on Wednesday, according to the Met Office.
The rest of Wales, Northern Ireland, parts of the West Midlands and the South West, and the westernmost parts of Scotland can expect to see 92% to 94% solar coverage.
In Cardiff, the Moon is forecast to obscure 93.24% of the sun at 7.13pm while in Belfast it will cover 93.09% of the sun at 7.08pm.
Skygazers in the rest of the UK will likely see the Moon obscure 90% to 92% of the sun, with 91.79% expected in Birmingham at 7.12pm, 91.41% in London at 7.13pm, 90.74% in Inverness at 7.03pm, 90.71% in Edinburgh at 7.06pm and 90.22% in Newcastle at 7.07pm.
Those most keen to catch a sight of the fullest possible solar eclipse should avoid the easternmost parts of the UK, where only 88% to 90% of solar coverage is expected.
These include the coasts of Norfolk, Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire, as well as the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
In an added bonus for stargazers, the annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of August 12-13, hours after the eclipse.
The shower is produced as Earth ploughs through a stream of dust left behind by Comet Swift–Tuttle.
Each tiny grain strikes Earth’s atmosphere at about 60 kilometres per second, burning up in a brief flash that takes the appearance of a shooting star.
The National Energy System Operator (Neso) has cancelled its call to the industry to generate more power during the eclipse.
A Neso spokesman said the notice had been issued “as a precautionary measure to the market due to the solar eclipse”.
He added: “Issuing an electricity margin notice gives the market a clear signal that additional capacity may be useful during this evening’s peak and helps us maintain the level of operating margin we expect to carry.
“To be clear, there is no risk to customer electricity supplies.”
Meanwhile, drivers are being warned they may need to turn on their headlights during the eclipse.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “While total darkness is unlikely, those with vehicles that don’t have automatic headlights or daylight running lights may need to switch on their dipped beams to ensure they are easily visible to other road users.
“The best advice to enjoy this rare event is to pull over somewhere safe and watch with specialist glasses.”
Share