How to make sure your eclipse glasses actually work

Popular Science ^ | August 14, 2017 | Rachel Feltman

[Leaning Right]

You've planned your road trip, downloaded your science apps, and bought yourself a pair of shiny new spectacles: you're ready for the eclipse. But is your eyewear is up to the task?

With the Great American Eclipse approaching, demand for eclipse glasses—with special lenses designed to keep the sun from harming your peepers—is surging. And counterfeit glasses are everywhere. In fact, Amazon is so swamped by reports of possibly unsafe glasses that the company is allegedly sending out recalls and refunds for products that are certified as eclipse-safe.

[familyop]

As with those who avoid dope fiendishness and tramp stamps, those who continue to see will be employable.

[Larry Lucido]

I’m going to view it at night.

[RegulatorCountry]

Provided it’s not obscured by clouds, it’s a very memorable thing. I think you’ll find it worth the trip. I’m driving up to Qualla Boundary in the NC Smokies to see it with family, the Eastern Cherokee have some ceremonies planned there that should add to the surreality and enjoyment of the moment.

[xp38]

Is it worth it? From my experience yes. But only if viewed safely. It is not worth damaging ones eyesight.

[going hot]

Cool.

[wally_bert]

That or torch goggles?

I really don’t care about the eclipse thing that much. I’ll go outside with the rest of the herd and not look at the sun.

It’d be funny if it clouded up or rained.

[Delta 21]

The hour or so run up before and hour after are still cool to see. It realy is more fun than for just 3 minutes. Thats just the climax.

When was the last time you had a 3 minute climax?

[xp38]

The safest way. :)

[SkyDancer]

I’ll wait and watch it at night. I don’t want to damage my eyes.

[IYAS9YAS]

How about stick welding mask?

Shade 14 or darker should be good.

https://www.space.com/15614-sun-observing-safety-tips-infographic.html

[smokingfrog]

I’ve heard that shade 14 welding glasses should be okay. Probably a lot better than the cheapo cardboard glasses so many are selling.

[Axenolith]

Looking at it in totality isn’t what hoses you, it’s the time leading up to and after.

[Covenantor]

Same here but on tuesday night after the rush...hate crowds

[xrmusn]

I’ll wait and watch it at night. I don’t want to damage my eyes.
= = = = = = = = = = =
Good idea.
Same reason we won’t go to the sun until after dark.

Quite the crap shoot..

Somewhat like the

“I don’t believe the paint on that park bench is really wet”, with a higher risk...(One peek won’t hurt)

[IYAS9YAS]

Amazon is ahead of the curve on this.

They sent us an email saying they'd not heard back from the supplier of the glasses we purchased regarding the actual testing/safety of our glasses. They refunded us our money.

I've actually looked through the glasses and the only thing I can see is the sun, looking exactly as it should through solar glasses.

They were darker than the #14 welding glasses I looked through for the 2012 annular eclipse we had. I can't even see my brightest light bulbs through them, just the sun. So, even though we've received no actual confirmation, I think we'll be just fine.

[xrmusn]

“I don’t believe the paint on that park bench is really wet”, with a higher risk...(One peek won’t hurt)
= = = = = = = = = =
PPS

Of course, in a sense this is the ‘same’ government that advised people present at A Blasts to make sure their sleeves were rolled down and pant legs tucked in and make sure your back is turned so you don’t look the blast straight on.

They then advanced to having school children climb under the desks as part of air raid/nuclear attack drills.

When I got to USN Boot Camp in 1956 my first day of ABC Training taught me to NEVER trust an adult again- everyone, parents, teachers, etal had basically bought into the ‘under the desk’ routine.

[ETL]

Amazon recalls potentially hazardous solar eclipse glasses

BY Nsikan Akpan
August 14, 2017

As customers prepare for next week’s total solar eclipse, Amazon has issued a recall for some of the eclipse glasses sold on its internet marketplace, saying it was unable to confirm whether the protective ware was made by a recommended manufacturer.

NASA and the American Astronomical Society have been urging solar gazers to use glasses engineered by reputable vendors that carry the international safety standard number “ISO 12312-2.”

Eclipse glasses made under these standards block 100,000 times more light than ordinary sunglasses. Even brief, unprotected glimpses of the sun can cause blurry vision or blindness. The American Astronomical Society has spotted counterfeit eclipse glasses on Amazon in the past.

Amazon began emailing customers about the safety recall on Saturday. The internet retailer decided to double-check the suppliers “out of an abundance of caution,” an Amazon spokesperson wrote in a statement to NewsHour. The company has not released the scale of the recall or a public list of offending vendors, but says it has offered refunds to customers who purchased the affected glasses.

“Viewing the sun or an eclipse using any other glasses or filters could result in loss of vision or permanent blindness,” Amazon wrote in its email to impacted customers. “Amazon has not received confirmation from the supplier of your order that they sourced the item from a recommended manufacturer. We recommend that you DO NOT use this product to view the sun or the eclipse.”

Yet the company’s spokesperson told NewsHour they weren’t listing specific brands or products “because there may be legitimate versions under the same name.”

Customers with concerns should keep a close watch on their inboxes, as Amazon only sent emails to people who bought unvalidated glasses. Those who did not receive an email should be safe and clear to use their glasses, the company said.

But Amazon’s sudden decision pull these eclipse glasses has left some suppliers in the dark. Manish Panjwani, who runs the astronomy product supplier AgenaAstro, told KGW that Amazon pulled his eclipse glasses even though he provided documentation confirming the authenticity of their manufacturers. Panjwani worries his customers may now look elsewhere and potentially fall prey to scams.

“People have some of the best glasses in the world in their hands right now and they don’t believe in that product,” he told KGW. “They’re out there looking for something inferior.”

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/amazon-recalls-potentially-hazardous-solar-eclipse-glasses/

[fruser1]

For the one I saw, I looked at a reflection in a puddle.

So that or reflection on windshield ok.

What’s more interesting is the effect on the ground anyway.

The dim light is very unusual and the drop in temperature should be a reminder to all of the sun’s contribution to “global warming”.

If you really need to see a dark disc pass in front of a bright one, I recommend a video. Available at NASA.

The traditional pinhole over sheet of paper method of viewing eclipses is ok too.

[ETL]

How to tell if your solar eclipse glasses are safe or fake

Don't get caught with counterfeits on August 21

The eclipse economy is in full swing. Eclipse glasses are in low supply, and counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold. How can you tell if the solar eclipse glasses you bought are safe for staring directly at the sun or fakes?

Check the ISO number

According to the American Astronomical Society (AAS), a real and safe pair of solar eclipse glasses should be labeled with ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written in more detail as ISO 12312-2:2015), which is an international safety standard that donates the glasses reduce visible sunlight to safe levels and block UV and IR radiation.

AAS

Reputable vendor research

Unfortunately, fake glasses may also be labeled as being compliant with ISO 12312-2 because, as a general rule, people are greedy, selfish and not to be trusted. To double check the veracity of your eclipse glasses' ISO claims, you can check to see if the vendor from which you purchased the shades is trustworthy in the eyes of the AAS. See its list of Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters and Viewers.

In assembling its list, the AAS checks to make sure a manufacturer earned its ISO rating with proper, labs-based testing. It also asks manufacturers for their authorized resellers and resellers for their manufacturers. If the vendor of your eclipse shades is listed, then you are safe. But the opposite isn't necessarily true. If your vendor isn't listed, it doesn't necessarily mean they are slinging counterfeits. It just means the AAS hasn't checked them out or hasn't been able to track everything down.

So, what are you to do if your vendor isn't on the list? Perform an eye test.

Eclipse glasses eye test

First off, a pair of honest-to-goodness solar eclipse glasses should be way darker than, say, your sunglasses. According to the AAS, the solar filters of eclipse glasses are "many thousands of times darker" than ordinary sunglasses.

More on the eclipse

• Solar eclipse 101: This is why the sun disappears
• Total solar eclipse may reveal a new comet you can see
• How to plan a total solar eclipse road trip

So, your mystery pair of eclipse glasses look pretty darn dark? That's a good start. You should not be able to see anything through them except the sun itself or something similarly bright.

What's something as bright as the sun you can use as a test? The AAS suggests you check sunlight reflected off a mirror or a shiny metal object. If sun is behind the clouds or on the other side of the earth when you want to test your glasses, you can use a bright-white LED such as the flashlight on your phone or a bare lightbulb. The reflected sunlight or bright, white, artificial light should appear very dim through a safe pair of eclipse glasses. If you can see light behind a lamp shade or a soft, frosted light bulb through the glasses through your eclipse glasses, then they aren't strong enough to stare safely at the sun.

When staring at the sun through safe solar eclipse glasses, the sun should appear comfortably bright like the full moon, according to the AAS.

If you can't find a pair of safe solar eclipse glasses, you can make a pinhole projector to view the solar eclipse. It's fun and easy and requires a few materials you likely already have in your house.

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-tell-if-your-solar-eclipse-glasses-are-safe-or-fake/

[fruser1]

And when I saw the dim light is unusual, I mean it’s not like a cloud passing in front of the sun.

I have no way to describe it.