Safety tips for watching the solar eclipse

The Institut de mécanique céleste et de calcul des éphémérides (IMCCE, Institute for Celestial Mechanics and Computation of Ephemerides) has said that it will be possible to observe a partial solar eclipse (11.7%) in Monaco between 11.22 am and 1.04 pm (local time) on 25 October 2022.

It should be noted that observing the eclipse with the naked eye or good-quality sunglasses, even for a brief moment, can cause irreversible damage to the retina, leading to a loss of vision.

The only way to observe the sun under controlled risk conditions is to use special glasses that keep transmission to 1 in 100,000 parts of light. The glasses should bear a CE mark. It is vital to ensure that the glasses are sourced from a reliable supplier (optician, chemist) and are not counterfeits.

It is advisable to take regular breaks after observing the eclipse for a few minutes. This allows your eyes to rest and avoids damaging them. These special glasses are not sufficient if you are using an optical magnifier (binoculars or a telescope), which will need to be equipped with special filters, offering even better performance.