Overview
- Astronomers issued a public alert about a possible shortfall of certified eclipse glasses for the August 12 solar eclipse visible across much of Europe.
- Viewing the Sun without proper filters can burn the retina in under a minute because the retina has no pain sensors, public health guidance says.
- The eclipse will be total along a path across northern Spain and only partial in France, which still requires certified viewers for any direct look.
- Glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2:2015 standard will be sold at specialized shops and opticians and distributed at AFA sites and by Ciel&Espace and the ICI radio network, with typical prices of €1.50 to €4 per pair.
- Authorities may bar poorly prepared gatherings, and Le Parisien reports about 200,000 pairs are slated for distribution compared with 30.6 million in 1999.