A warning has been issued by forecasters at the Met Office to those who are aiming to see the partial solar eclipse in the sky this morning (October 25).
The celestial event is set to take place from 10am onwards today, reports the Cumberland News. A partial solar eclipse is when the moon only partially obscures the sun, when they are both slightly out of line with the earth.
Those based in the UK should be able to spot the solar eclipse from 10.08am onwards, with the event set to peak at 10.59am across the nation. It will then come to an end at approximately 11.51am.
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However, before the event takes place, the Met Office have warned eclipse fans not to look directly at the sun as the solar eclipse happens. In a post on social media, the forecasters wrote: "A partial solar #eclipse occurs over the UK on Tuesday morning, but will you see it?
"The moon will pass in front of the sun, obscuring up to 25 per cent of the sun's disk. Remember, don't look directly into the sun, and you may not be able to see it with the naked eye."
So, what is the reason for the Met Office's warning not to look at the eclipse directly? Well, according to website Prevent Blindness, it is recommended not to stare directly at the solar eclipse as it could cause retinal burns or complete blindness.
The website stated: "Exposing your eyes to the sun without proper eye protection during a solar eclipse can cause 'eclipse blindness' or retinal burns, also known as solar retinopathy.
"This exposure to the light can cause damage or even destroy cells in the retina (the back of the eye) that transmit what you see to the brain. This damage can be temporary or permanent and occurs with no pain."
When this damage occurs, it is sometimes not noticeable for hours, or even days - as it takes time for the full damage to be seen. So, it is recommended to not look directly at the solar eclipse during the event this morning, to prevent vision issues that can lead to complete blindness.
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