I didn’t know about the solar eclipse until a couple of days ago and I hadn’t left myself enough time to get some goggles. All of the local shops had sold out. Solar eclipses are rare and being able to see a solar eclipse properly from your little spot on our planet, even rarer. So, I decided I’m not going to miss out. The two options were to borrow a welding mask from someone at work or make myself some goggles. I did the latter because I didn’t want to look a dickhead stood on top of a hill wearing a helmet.
I got a pair of 3D cinema glasses from my collection of 3D cinema glasses (that I am reluctant to bin, just in case 3D cinema has yet another revival in a decade). I popped out the lenses. I then cut out out some squares of mylar sheeting (from a ‘space blanket’) and stuck them in layers over the glasses. Okay, I admit, it’s probably not very scientific but I basically got my really bright site light (the thing you see on the floor in construction sites) and sat in close to me and kept adding layers until I could barely see it anymore. I took packed some spare mylar in case my layers weren’t enough and a knife to remove some if there was too much.
I’d to view the eclipse from Newlands Corner – well it was conveniently between work sites and I could just stop off briefly. I was there on time, ready to go. There were lots of other people there as well, all waiting. The whole sky was clouded over. Apart from a brief moment of darkness, which didn’t really feel eerie, I didn’t see anything. Waste of time.
I’m going to buy some goggles ready for the next big one in the UK, which is only 11 years away.