Solar eclipse glasses sell out across Sweden before eclipse

Solar eclipse glasses have sold out in many parts of Sweden ahead of Wednesday evening’s event, SVT reports. The glasses are needed to avoid permanently damaging eyesight.

Several Normal stores contacted by SVT said they had none left. A store in central Stockholm said supplies were running out completely, while a shop on Södergatan in Malmö said the glasses were sold out across the city, as far as the employee knew.

Welding glass and welding helmets have also sold out. “Both welding helmets and glasses have been out of stock for some time,” said Pia Bäckström, an employee at Biltema in Umeå.

Opticians and photography shops have also reported selling out. “Everything is unfortunately sold out. We have sold an enormous amount,” said Elis at Gunnar Olsson’s photography shop in Stockholm.

Stockholm’s Technical Museum and Natural History Museum also told SVT they had no eclipse glasses available.

The event is a partial solar eclipse, with the moon expected to cover around 80 per cent of the sun. It will be visible in Sweden from 7pm on Wednesday, and the moon will move across the sun during the event. Astrophysicist Linn Boldt-Christmas previously told SVT that Europe had not seen such a clear eclipse since 1999.