Astronomy superfan, 11, shares tips for watching solar eclipse
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- Efan Dafydd, 11, has loved astronomy since age two after his mother Lowri gave him a Welsh-language book called Gofod (space); he is a member of the Vale Stargazing Club
- Efan warned that eclipse glasses from 1999 are unsafe because they may be scratched or damaged and could cause vision loss, and that normal sunglasses won't work for viewing
- Wednesday's partial solar eclipse will be the most significant for the UK and parts of Europe in almost three decades, with more than 90% of the Sun covered, beginning around 18:10 BST
- The eclipse won't recur at this magnitude until September 2090, and Efan stressed that phone cameras, telescopes and binoculars all need a solar filter because UV light can destroy the lens
- Efan met retired ESA astronaut Tim Peake during an October book tour — after waiting backstage at the door — and was advised to pursue an engineering degree, an RAF route, or learn Russian for Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center access
- Efan is on a nearly 300-day Duolingo streak learning Russian and plans to view the eclipse from the runway of a gliding club in Denbigh
Why it matters: Wednesday's eclipse is the most significant UK event in nearly three decades and won't repeat until September 2090, making safe viewing equipment genuinely time-sensitive for millions of casual observers. Efan's specific warnings — scratched 1999 glasses can cause vision loss, normal sunglasses won't work, and phone or telescope lenses need UV solar filters — translate abstract safety guidance into concrete checks viewers can make before looking up.
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