Expert issues 'very serious' warning ahead of next month's solar eclipse that can do 'permanent damage'

A lot of people are going to be looking up at the sky next month as we get treated to the sight of a solar eclipse.

Now before you get all excited about being able to see a true eclipse, we won't get a direct view of it in the UK.

The last time Brits got to see one of those was 1999, and while it's only partial this time the next one will show up around 8 April.

We will be able to see some of it in the UK, and the best viewing time will be from 7:52pm to 8:51pm, but we'll be seeing a partial eclipse instead.

This time around the front row seats for this celestial show will be going to those across the Atlantic Ocean, and even then it'll only be a total eclipse in one strip of the country.

While plenty will want to crowd around and see the eclipse, it is REALLY important to properly protect your eyes because whether the moon is in the way or not you're still staring up at the sun.

Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images

Looking at the sun for even a few seconds can cause permanent damage to the eyes, and it might be hours before you understand the full extent of the damage you've done to yourself.

Encouraging people to use proper eye protection, expert Dr. Nicole Bajic warned that people could be doing serious harm to themselves if they didn't shield their eyes - and your regular sunglasses aren't going to be enough.

Speaking to Fox News, she said: "I know this is a very special event and we all want to partake, but the big overall message I want to push forward is don't let a few minutes of viewing this cool event affect your vision for the rest of your life.

"The only safe way to directly peek at the eclipse is if you are in the path of totality and during totality, so that is when the moon is completely covering the sun.

"It's really important to remember not everyone's going to be in the path of totality, just a small strip of the US.

"If you go onto NASA's website they actually have a great graphic that highlights which areas are gonna be in the path of totality."

Carlos Tischler/ Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Indeed, you can hop onto NASA's site right now and see this path which stretches across the US where people will be able to view a solar eclipse.

Everyone else looking at it will only be able to see a partial eclipse, but it's still better than nothing and it's still important to protect your eyes from catastrophe, so if you want to watch the eclipse get yourself a proper pair of eclipse sunglasses, which under normal conditions would render you blind to all but the brightest of lights.

The next opportunity for Brits to see a total eclipse won't come around again until 2090, so it's probably best to watch NASA's livestream here.

Alternatively, if the catastrophic effects of climate change haven't yet resulted in the seas swallowing up the Channel Islands yet you can see it there in 2081.

Meanwhile, other experts are concerned that there will be a rise in fatal car crashes due to the eclipse as the last time such a thing happened to the US in 2017 there were over 1,000 more deaths on the roads than anticipated in the days surrounding the eclipse.

Be safe, wear proper eclipse sunglasses and don't blind yourself for a few minutes of wonder.

Topics: US News, Space, Science, NASA, UK News, Health

Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@MrJoeHarker