Top 5 tips for watching the eclipse in Scotland

STARGAZERS hoping to see the once-in-a-lifetime near-total solar eclipse have been warned against attempting to view the spectacle with the naked eye, so what should you do?

The partial solar eclipse will be seen at 9.30 on Friday. Pic: AP

John Brown, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, is encouraging everyone to get out on March 20 to witness the event from 9.30am, but he is also keen to stress the safety risks of gazing directly at the sun.

1: Never look at the sun with your bare eyes, or even worse with a set of binoculars – one easy way to burn your eye out.

2: You can purchase special solar eclipse viewing glasses online relatively cheaply - £1.99 a pair.

The partial solar eclipse will be seen at 9.30 on Friday. Pic: AP

3: You can also project the sun using a pinhole in a piece of card or through a set of binoculars onto a white sheet, or use a simple household colander to which will give a beautiful pattern of crescents.

4: Photographing a partial eclipse is also difficult and dangerous - pointing your camera or smartphone at the sun may damage the sensor. However in the right conditions such as light cloud you might get a souvenir snap.

5: A small mirror, such as a make-up mirror, can be used to reflect the image of the eclipse onto a white wall.