Partial solar eclipse reaches Styria at 7:24 p.m.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible over Styria on Wednesday evening, with the Sun obscured at 7:24 p.m. and five seconds in Graz, according to ORF. Observers should use certified protective glasses and never look directly at the Sun without protection.

The eclipse will begin slightly earlier in Leoben and slightly later in Leibnitz. The higher the viewing location, the better the chances of seeing it. Astrophysicist Manuela Temmer of the University of Graz said her team would set up on Graz’s Schlossberg hill to reach and inspire as many people as possible.

The Institute for Astro- and Geophysics will provide telescopes and eclipse glasses on the Schlossberg, as well as solar filters for mobile phones. The viewing opportunity there will last only about 25 minutes because the Plabutsch hill will cast a shadow early.

People in municipalities south of Graz are expected to have better viewing conditions. In Upper Styria, observers should go as high as possible and find a location with a clear view of the horizon.

Optician Ulrike Penitz warned that looking at the eclipse without protection can cause retinal injuries and burns, as well as long-term damage. Special eclipse glasses and filters have already sold out at opticians across Styria. One branch on Herrengasse in Graz received 255 calls about the glasses on Monday alone, she said.

Camera equipment also needs protection. Viktoria Riedner of Foto Weiss recommended using a very dense neutral-density filter when photographing the eclipse to protect the camera sensor. The intense sunlight can damage camera equipment, including mobile phones, and in extreme cases can even melt a lens.