Solar eclipse

OPTOMETRISTS are advising people to exercise caution in viewing this Friday’s solar eclipse as prolonged exposure to direct rays of the sun can burn the retina. If the retina is damaged, vision is affected and it can take up to a year to heal, but in some cases there can be lasting damage known as Solar Retinopathy.

The Association of Optometrists Ireland said that the safest way to view the eclipse is to make a small hole in a card, hold it up to the sun and project the image on the ground or a second piece of white card. People should not view the sun directly through the hole.

Shannonside Astronomy Club in conjunction with Lough Gur Heritage Centre will be running a viewing morning for the partial solar eclipse at the great stone circle in Grange next to the lake. Maximum eclipse takes place at 9.26am.