On December 4th 2002, the skies over Australia and Africa will present a phenomenal show in which the sun and moon will be the major stars. Australia and Africa will get a view of the final celestial event of the year, a total solar eclipse that will traverse a narrow corridor through the southern hemisphere. A display of unique beauty and clarity is expected, as the total phases of the eclipse will be visible in South Africa and most of Australia.

Known as a total solar eclipse, the moon will cover 100% of the suns surface. In the areas of totality, the brilliant corona of the sun will encircle the moon's black orb. Viewing will be spectacular, as the eclipse zone starts in the South Atlantic, crosses South Africa and theIndian Oceanand ending at sunset in southern Australia. The partial phases will be seen in a much broader path as the moon's shadow will cover most of Africa, western Australiaand Antarctica. From its mesmerizing sunrise to its awesome coronal sunset, this eclipse will play to an audience in the millions.

In order to watch this heavenly event unfold, however, special safe solar viewing devices will be required. Those people viewing the eclipse with the naked eye or an unfiltered optical instrument could suffer irreparable retina damage.

When making a selection, it is important to choose a product with the proper construction and filtering strength. Rainbow Symphony, Inc., a Reseda, California based company has a thirteen year long history of supplying the Eclipse ShadesÊ Brand - Safe Solar Glasses and Viewers to businesses, schools, planetariums, museums and astronomical organizations. They have participated in some of the largest global promotions, with clients and sponsors such as Coca Cola, Shell Oil, Swarovski Optics and the Governments and Tourism offices of many countries around the world.

"When you select a safe solar viewing device for an event such as the upcoming eclipse, you want a solar viewer that provides a clear view and also affords the maximum protection," says Mark Margolis, president of Rainbow Symphony, Inc. "So, meticulous quality control during construction and the highest optical quality solar filters are important. Our filters are "CE" certified and have been tested at the University of NSW in accordance with AS/NZS 1338.2 & 1338.3 for this eclipse. Eclipse ShadeÊ provide the ultimate in protection from harmful solar radiation. Lenses are made of our exclusive scratch resistant optical density 5, Black Polymer material. They filter out 100% of harmful ultra-violet, 100% of harmful infrared and 99.999% of intense visible light. Our premium filters create a sharper Orange colored image of the sun."

Most of the glasses could cost up to several dollars, although various promotions prior to the event could make them available for less or even free in some instances. Margolis stresses that wherever glasses are purchased or acquired, they should meet strict safety standards and everyone should have a pair before looking skyward.

"People should remember that there is a difference between viewing the partial phases of the eclipse and totality," says Margolis. "During the partial phases, the light is of great intensity and protective filters must be worn at all times while viewing."

City               Begin       maximum      Magnitude     Sunset

Adelaide           18:40        19:38         0.88         20:17
Alice Springs      17:39        18:47         0.78         19:09
Brisbane           18:16        18:32         0.29         18:32
Canberra           19:12        20:05         0.76         20:05
Ceduna             18:40        19:40         1.004
Darwin             18:04        18:52         0.42         19:01
Hobart             19:07        19:58         0.61         20:35
Melbourne          19:09        20:03         0.75         20:29
Perth              15:58        17:07         0.82         19:10 (eclipse ends 18:08)
Sydney             19:13        19:54         0.69         19:54

For more information about the December 4th total solar eclipse and about the availability of Eclipse Shades - Safe Solar Glasses and Viewers, contact: