The total eclipse set to traverse Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan and India on Wednesday, August 11th will just miss Ireland, passing off our south coast. Yet although we miss the path of "totality" - the deep shadow produced when the moon completely obscures the sun - up to 95 per cent of the solar disc will be covered for viewers here.
The moon will first contact the disc at about 9.30 a.m. and will gradually slip across the sun blocking all but a thin crescent. By about 11 a.m. the eclipse will be at its maximum for Ireland, although the sun will remain intensely bright and at no time will it be safe to look at without some form of eye protection - even the heaviest sunglasses will not protect your eyes sufficiently. By about 12.30 p.m. the eclipse will have ended, with the next total eclipse not expected here until the 2090s.
Although we will not experience a total eclipse, viewing a near eclipsed sun still makes for dramatic viewing. The safest way to see this is by "projection", placing a small pinhole in a cardboard sheet and then allowing the light from the hole fall onto a sheet of white paper. The solar disc will appear clear and sharp on the white sheet and the moon's advance will be clearly visible.
It is also possible to project an image of the sun into heavy shadow using a mirror, but care must be taken not to project the bright light into your eyes. Special aluminised mylar lenses are available that can make viewing safer, but you must ensure that there are no scratches or holes in the plastic surface which would allow sunlight to penetrate directly into the eye.
Children who use these mylar lenses must be closely supervised so they do not accidentally view the sun directly. These lenses should carry a safety indication, CE, which tells you they have been properly made.
