Finland’s Ursa reports record eclipse‑glass sales ahead of March partial solar eclipse

The Finnish Astronomical Association Ursa announced that it has sold a record number of specialised eclipse glasses in preparation for the partial solar eclipse expected to cover more than 80 % of the Sun on Wednesday across Finland. Anne Liljeström, Ursa’s spokesperson, warned that ordinary sunglasses are insufficient and that safe viewing requires filters that block all but one hundred‑thousandth of the Sun’s radiation. The association’s own glasses have already sold out, and retailers report unprecedented demand for approved protective lenses, including specially darkened welding glass.

Ursa is organising public viewing events in several cities, with loan‑out programmes for glasses in Helsinki. The eclipse will be most visible in western and northern regions, with weather conditions such as cloud cover influencing visibility. The last partial eclipse in Finland occurred in March 2022, while total eclipses are rare, last seen in 1990 and not expected again until 2126.