Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere (or, if you are really lucky, in an ice igloo), then you know that a rare solar eclipse will happen tonight. But will everyone be able to enjoy it – safely?
The eclipse will be visible from much of Switzerland shortly before sunset.
It will begin around 7:25 pm, initially visible in the Lake Constance region, and will end at 8:45 pm in Geneva.
The peak of the eclipse is expected around 8:20 pm.
READ MORE: Where can you watch the solar eclipse in Switzerland tonight?
However, according to Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), looking directly at the Sun, even if it is partially hidden, can damage the retina.
Therefore, you should wear protective glasses specifically designed for solar viewing.
FOPH’s advice:
- Protective glasses must be certified to ISO 12312-2:2015 and have the CE mark.
- The glasses must not be worn out or damaged.
- Avoid making your own glasses or using colored films or lenses, as these do not provide reliable eye protection.
- Do not wear ordinary sunglasses. They are not sufficient for observing a solar eclipse: they let in too much light and put your eyes at risk.
- Directly observing the sun through binoculars, telescopes, or cameras is also dangerous, as these instruments further concentrate the sun’s rays. It is essential to always install filters or protective films in front of the device’s lenses.
- Pay special attention to children to ensure they wear protective glasses during observation that are sized appropriately for them and fit their face properly, so they do not slip.
Easier said than done
However, this advice may not be totally heeded tonight because in Switzerland, like in other countries in Europe, there is a shortage of special ‘eclipse glasses’.
Specialised retailers like eyeglass stores, as well as Swiss e-commerce merchants like Galaxus, report that these lenses have sold out well ahead of the eclipse – after all, this is not exactly an impromptu event, so people bought not only lenses for their own use in advance, but also for resale.
One of the reasons for the scarcity could be that many large stores did not carry this product.
A survey by Keystone-SDA found that Migros and Coop, together with their subsidiaries Jumbo, Fust and Interdiscount, were not offering specialist eclipse glasses – and neither did Aldi.
No wonder then, that a secondary market for these objects has emerged and is making a killing. That’s because reselling products that are in high demand but low supply is a lucrative business.
For instance, the usual price for standard ISO-certified paper solar eclipse glasses is between CHF 4 and 8 francs per pair.
Better models are more expensive, but both are resold on sites like Ricardo and Tutti for 10 to 50 times as much.
Can you still buy these glasses in Switzerland?
Not in time for the eclipse today. It’s very unlikely, at least. Though you may get lucky.
Galaxus said they will receive a new shipment on…August 18th.
That’s obviously too late, but if you buy them nevertheless, you will be sure to have them on hand for the next event…in 2075!
