Moment man uses colander at packed London park to watch the eclipse… and he’s not alone
Crowds gathered across Britain on Wednesday evening to watch a partial solar eclipse, with London parks, coastal areas and other viewing spots attracting particular interest. The event prompted renewed safety advice because looking directly at the sun without proper protection can seriously damage eyesight.
Among the spectators, one man used a colander as an improvised viewing aid, an approach also tried by others. Light passing through its small holes can project crescent-shaped shadows as the moon covers part of the sun, although the article suggests such homemade methods may not always work as intended.
- Britons gathered to watch a partial solar eclipse.
- Proper eye protection was strongly advised.
- A colander was used as an improvised projector.
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A solar eclipse happens when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, blocking some or all of the sunlight from certain places. In a partial eclipse, the moon covers only part of the sun, so the sky usually does not become fully dark.
People often gather in open spaces to watch because the view depends on clear skies and an unobstructed horizon. Special eclipse glasses are designed to make direct viewing safer, while ordinary sunglasses, cameras and homemade filters do not provide reliable protection.
Small gaps in objects such as a colander can act like a simple projector, casting repeated images of the partly covered sun onto the ground or another surface. This lets people see the eclipse indirectly, though the effect can vary with the light and the way the object is held.