OBSERVING THE SOLAR ECLIPSE MAY 31. 2003

by Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard and Unni Fuskeland

Never look directly at the Sun without proper protection for your eyes. Here you can find out safe ways to follow the eclipse as it advances. Also remember to never look at the Sun through binoculars.

Safe ways to observe the Sun:

• Eclipse glasses. This is special glasses with which you can look directly at the Sun, but preferably only for short periods. For most people, this will be the most favored way to follow the eclipse.
• Dark (sooty) glasses or ordinary sunglasses is not enough.
• Projecting the Sun on a screen with binoculars. Do not look directly at the Sun with binoculars, nor through a finder-scope!. Direct the binoculars towards the Sun (without looking through!) and hold a white sheet of paper behind. Adjust the distance to make a suitable size of the Solar disc. Adjust the sharpness by turning the focus wheel on the binoculars.
• Those who still have eclipse glasses from previous eclipses can use these if they are not damaged (scratches etc.).
• Dark welding glasses and exposed film is not recommended! These may seem very dark, but they often let through enough invisible infrared or UV radiation to damage the eyes. Do not look continuously too long at the Sun.
• Below leafage (trees with leaves) you may see lots of partial eclipsed Suns.
• Make a hole in a thick sheet of paper and hold another sheet a distance (perhaps a meter) away. The sunlight from the hole will fall on the other sheet of paper. Never look directly at the Sun - you should look away from the Sun and at the paper.