The 2012 Solar Eclipse Safety Precautions

The Cairns region will be the best location in the world to view the solar eclipse on November 14, 2012 and we have created the ultimate adventures around this event!

A General Rule: Do Not Look Directly At The Sun

Never look directly at the sun.

Even a glance at the sun can completely ruin your vision, especially if you are viewing the sun through binoculars or a telescope (which is like using a magnifying glass to start a fire and can cause almost instant blindness).  You don’t have to feel pain in your eyes in order for your retina to be permanently damaged.

All Small World Journeys guests will be provided with special solar filter glasses for viewing the eclipse.  See viewing advice below. 

The Only Times You Can Look Directly At the Sun:

There are a couple of exceptions to the rule about looking directly at the sun. 

A)  The only time that the Sun can be viewed safely with the naked eye is when the moon completely covers the disk of the Sun during the total eclipse.  This is during TOTALITY only.  You should NOT look directly at the sun during the partial phases leading up to the total phase, even if there is just a small sliver of the sun showing.  If you are not sure when it is safe to look at the eclipsed sun, ask a guide or expert before viewing.  During a total solar eclipse, the moon gets in the way of the brightest part of the sun, revealing the corona and the sun’s prominences, but making it safe to see other parts of the sun.    

B)  You can also safely observe the sun when the image of the sun is projected onto a screen. This allows you to still view the eclipse event and also this allows a group of people to see the sun at the same time. 

C)  Finally, you can observe the sun through special solar filter “glasses”.  These filters block harmful radiation and allow just a fraction of the sun’s light to pass through them.  Even if you are wearing these solar filter glasses, do not stare at the sun for a long periods of time.  We suggest looking at the sun with the filter glasses on for a few moments, and then looking away.

It is strongly suggested that if you are planning on viewing the eclipse on your own, consult with an expert in solar observing beforehand to avoid any eye damage.

Choosing a Safe Viewing Spot:  

Eclipse safety involves more than just not looking at the sun.

Many people, locals and tourists alike, will take to the highway early morning on 14 November to look for an ideal spot for viewing the eclipse.  It is expected that there will be significant traffic on both the Captain Cook Highway and the Mulligan Highway (the only two major roads in the path of the eclipse, which means viewing spots along the highway are potentially unsafe.

According to the Astronomical Association of Australia, these potential problems exist with this roadside viewing:

1. In many places there are hills to the east of the road that would block the view of the eclipse.

2. There are also power lines to the east of the road that would disturb the view.

3. There are few places to stop with parking available.

4. The Queensland Department of Roads has very strict rules about pedestrians being within 10 m of the road while the land is private property beyond that distance.

5. The road is likely to be exceptionally busy on the morning of the eclipse, including B-double road-trains travelling at 110 km/h!

In addition, drivers who are attempting to view the eclipse WHILE driving may potentially cause accidents and even fatalities.  We caution anyone who is planning on roadside viewing on the morning of the eclipse to consider these points above.

The adventures Small World Journeys have planned involve a reef boat, a tropical island, and a hot air balloon and therefore no travelling or searching for “the best spot” will be necessary at the time of the eclipse.

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ECLIPSE ADVENTURES