What happens if you don’t use protection to watch the eclipse – and why is it so bad?

What happens if you don’t use protection to watch the eclipse – and why is it so bad? Josh Milton | Senior science and technology reporter Published August 12, 2026 3:18pm Updated August 12, 2026 3:18pm Do not look at Monday’s solar eclipse without special, certified eyeglasses (Picture: Justin Griffiths-Williams) The moon will take a massive bite of the sun today, leaving just a frowny face-shaped sliver of the star left. The most dramatic partial solar eclipse the UK has witnessed in three decades will happen tonight. Yet the most important thing to remember is that it’s unsafe to stare directly at the sun until the moon has covered its surface, called totality. In other words, everyone in the UK has to wear protective eye gear called eclipse glasses, or look at it indirectly with DIY to