How to safely watch the solar eclipse

So you want to watch a solar eclipse, but don't want to permanently damage your eyes.I'm here to help.And you might need a couple of sheets of paper.Across this part of the world, the skies are set to go dark on the 12th of August for a solar eclipse.That's when the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking all or some of its light.No matter where you're watching, it's super important to protect your eyes.

So let's get into it.Firstly, it might sound obvious, but never look directly at the sun, even if lots of its intense light is obscured or if there's cloud cover.After the 1999 eclipse, in the UK alone, there were around 70 people who reported vision problems after watching it.Around 40 % had looked at it for less than a minute.You don't want that to be you.

You could get yourself a pair of these swanky eclipse glasses, which filter out any harmful rays.Make sure they meet the international safety standard and that they aren't damaged or torn.I know what you're thinking.I'll just wear my sunglasses.These don't provide enough protection.But you could also try the DIY pinhole projector method.

And here's where the paper comes in.hold it above another piece.If you stand with the sun at your back, it will allow you to see the shadow being cast on the sun replicated in miniature.If you're trying that, good luck, but I'm going to stick with these.