Late in the afternoon on January 26th, West Australians will be treated to a spectacular natural phenomenon - a partial eclipse of the Sun. Unfortunately eclipses of this type are very dangerous to look at directly, as the bright sunlight can cause permanent eye damage, so here’s some information about what will happen and a few ways you can observe it safely.

When will the partial eclipse happen?
In Perth this partial solar eclipse event for Australia Day will begin at 5:01pm local time and end nearly 2 hours later at 6:56pm with eclipse maximum happening at 6:01pm.

How can I see the eclipse safely?
You can look at the shadows on the ground made by the leaves of the trees. Watch how the light moves and see the changing shape of the sun.

Scitech will have teams in the family area on the Esplanade, as well as the family area on Sir James Michel Park in South Perth. They will be handing out pinhole cameras so everyone can be a part of the action. You can observe this natural phenomenon safely by using a pinhole camera.   

You can even make your own pinhole camera!  The pinhole camera should be printed on thick card paper, with 200gsm being preferable. Please note that you should make sure that your printer is capable of printing on card this thick before you try.

Download pinhole camera from here.

What is an eclipse?
A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes through the Moon's shadow. During this time, the Sun will appear to have a "bite" taken out of it. At the peak of this special Australia Day event for Western Australia, approximately 22% of the Sun's surface will be eclipsed by the Moon. This shouldn't have much of an effect on the level of daylight wherever you are but when observed safely (as described below) will provide a fantastic addition to your Australia Day celebrations.

A total solar eclipse is a rare event that happens when the Earth, Moon and Sun are perfectly aligned so that the Moon completely obscures the Sun when viewed from a series of locations positioned along the path of the Moon's shadow as it moves across the surface of the Earth. The next Total Solar Eclipse for Australia will be visible in Cairns, Northern Queensland in 2012.

What makes an eclipse dangerous to look at?
The Sun emits intense radiation. Looking directly at the Sun, even for just a few seconds, can cause permanent damage to the retina of the eye.

What will happen to my eyes if I look at the Sun?
Exposure of the retina to intense visible light causes damage to its light-sensitive rod and cone cells. The retina has no sensitivity to pain, and the effects of retinal damage may not appear for hours, so there is no warning that injury is occurring. This damage can result in permanent impairment of vision, up to and including blindness.

Can I look through my sunglasses?
NO!! Sunglasses only cut out UV radiation, not the invisible infrared radiation that causes the damage. You should not look at the Sun through sunglasses, binoculars or a camera lens.