UKC

This Solar Eclipse event in a couple of weeks time: http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2015-march-20 , how come we're not all going eclipse bonkers? It looks to me like it will be a big thing or am I over optimistic?

Any ideas where I can get a primary schools worth (250ish) of special specs to view it? Thinking back to 1999, do I remember correctly that newspapers were giving them away free when you bought the paper?

In reply to Bingers:
Yes. It was The Sun newspaper.

In reply to Bingers:

It's also the Vernal equinox date March 20th , that's cool .


M

In reply to Dave the Rave:

I suppose that make sense.

Thanks

In reply to Bingers:


It's not total in Britain and there's a world of difference between 93% and total.

Still I'll be watching and so will my little girl.

In reply to Bingers:

There are some available on Amazon but the prices are silly, most of the other online retailers seem to have sold out.

Might be better and perhaps more inspiring/educational to make some indirect viewers with the kids, could be as simple as a pinhole camera or something using optics to project an image or a filtered digital camera feeding a TV.

For glasses you could also try contacting science organisations with a public outreach function, STEM springs to mind and perhaps the Science Museum, they may know where to look but you'll have to be quick. Have you tried the catalogs of or calling the schools usual suppliers of craft/science supplies?

jk

In reply to Bingers:

Set up a small telescope and project the eclipse on a bedsheet or white wall. Much safer and cheaper, I used such a setup to show the Venus transit to a group of children.

CB

In reply to Bingers:

Can we mention the C word?

C*x and Dara O'Brainy are on the cover of the Radio Times this week wearing a pair, so expect them to sell quickly now. I think they'll be in Skye getting maximum coverage, depends on your location.

check fleabay, I found a couple of sellers doing those quantities, about £1 a piece. I can send a link if you want. They aren't professional astronomy sellers though, more like Del Boys with an eye (geddit) for an opportunity, I think. Mine came from someone styled Deano or Damo or somesuch confidence inspiring affectation. I think you'd have to order them yourself as the school wouldn't order from them.

Do you need 250 pairs? It's a big investment if it's cloudy and because it's a (relatively) slow event. Most of the ones on offer use Baader ND 5.0 film much better than the Mylar used in 1999, which was prone to scratching and pinholing and could be more dangerous if passed from person to person.

Out of interest what's the school said? I'm in touch with 2 primaries and they showed initial enthusiasm but it's all gone a bit quiet, H+S concerns maybe?

For indirect viewing you can use pinhole projectors or the telescope idea above or you could use a digital camera and make a filter. There is good film available but it had all sold out last week, I just got an order in, but I've had mails from a couple of suppliers saying more has hit the channel this week so you can get an A4 sheet for £20ish.

If not you can always cut up some of your 250 glasses and make a filter to fit over a camera lens (securely taped on). I did that last time and it's very effective, plus the bonus of no direct viewing. If you have LiveView you could put it on a laptop or projector.

In reply to Bingers:
I'm hoping there will be clear skies for it, and if the forecast looks good I might head North a bit to see more of an eclipse. It's on a Friday morning, though, so not too handy!

But it isn't total anywhere in the UK, I can't get to the Faroe Islands or Svalbard, and there must be something like a 50% chance it'll be cloudy anyway, so I'm not too excited!

I bought some of these via Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Eclipse-Glasses--Solstice-Pairs/dp/B00SH0VE4G

I've stared at the sun through them for a while, and don't seem to have gone blind; I'm not sure I'd be entirely happy about encouraging a primary-schoolful of kids to do the same, though.

In reply to Bingers

Weather permitting I'm going to be on Gimmer when it hapens which should be odd.

In reply to winhill:

I will be outside anyway with 30 children, but it would be good if the whole school could see it - so 250 pairs. The danger of using any of the other method is if any of the children do look up to the sun despite being told not to. Has the school carried out its duty of care sufficiently to prevent this from happening?

We could rely on parents sending their children equipped, but what about those who don't - hardly universal opportunity for all.

Buying anything that could potentially not meet the universal quality standard is a non-starter.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

In reply to Bingers:


Here in Svalbard we're fortunate to have a total eclipse so people/enthusiasts/whatever have gone absolutely nuts for it, locals are renting out rooms for thousands per night as everything is fully booked, with many more visitors coming with no where to stay...

I'm secretly hoping its cloudy.

In reply to GarethSL:

Does totality cross any settlements, and is that wind blasted campsite still going at the airport? Mind in March!

In reply to Fat Bumbly2:

Lyb is pretty much on track, I imagine most will be heading out to Kapp Linné/ Isfjord radio, which is pretty much slap in the middle of it.

The airport however wouldnt be such a bad place to see it

In reply to GarethSL:

Thanks - that is a lucky track. If clear, the postcard sellers will clean up for years to come down in Norway. Make a change from bears.

In reply to GarethSL:


How nice, a rare opportunity for people to see something truly spectacular and you hope they don't get to see it.

It's nice to see the cup of human kindness overflowing.

In reply to Bingers:

Although it's not total where I am I'd like to see it. Unfortunately I'll be on a plane somewhere above Germany at the time of the event.

Bugger.

In reply to Bingers:

I just watch it through a CD Rom, works well, I'm sure doctors will tell you it's a bad idea but I've never had any problems.

In reply to Bingers:

Long range weather forecast is frustrating. Good weather all week then rain on eclipse day
Anyway, where's the best place in Scotland for maximum % of totality?

In reply to aln:

Inverness is 95%.

In reply to cb294:



Does anyone know if I can do this with my DSLR without it causing it any damage?

In reply to DaveHK:

Yip. West coast of Lewis another %

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

I set up a magnifying mirror about 30 yards down my drive aimed it into the house and got an image of about 8-10 cm . Was really interesting for the kids as we had to keep rotating the mirror bit by bit to keep the image in the house. Also put a white sheet under a tree and got millions of eclipses, it was lovely!

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

I made a mylar filter for my camera for the 1999 eclipse it worked great.