Comments on: How To Tell If Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Safe

By: John Ostrum

John Ostrum — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 20:09:17 +0000

No. It sounds like infrared light is also a major concern.

By: Skip Lightner

Skip Lightner — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:16:27 +0000

I got some also from Amazon and got the same message. These as far as I can tell are not on the approved list. But if I may, let me tell you this: I went to an optometrist who had an UV pen and a Transition lens – the ones that turn in sunlight because of the UV… I tested each lens on each pair and they all blocked the UV. The glasses are also very dark – i cannot see any light bulb filaments or the smartphone flashlight or other tests and outside I cannot see anything but the sun. Do you think these would be okay?

By: Brian Koberlein

Brian Koberlein — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 21:18:04 +0000

I would say $20 solar glasses are a rip off. The X-ray material isn’t designed to look at the Sun, so it isn’t a good option. If you don’t already have eclipse glasses, then I would recommend building a simple pinhole camera, Or even just looking at the shadow of a flat cheese grater. You’ll see everything there is to see for the eclipse without risking your eyes.

By: Brian Koberlein

Brian Koberlein — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 21:13:40 +0000

Amazon likely erred on the side of caution. The lists on the AAS site are the best recommendation I know of.

By: rose

rose — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 19:17:38 +0000

I remember in the 70’s, my sister worked at the hospital and the hospital was handing out cut up x-ray sheets and we stacked 3 together to view the sun…now, like you said it makes mention NEVER to use x-ray material….could it be to get us to spend 20.00 a pair?

By: Molly Matteson

Molly Matteson — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 18:52:24 +0000

Odd that I received an email from Amazon about my Daylight Sky Plastic Eclipse Glasses advising me that they were no good and should not be used. Now, on the American Astronomical Society list of safe eclipse glasses are the exact ones Amazon says don’t use. Any suggestions? No time or money to purchase new eclipse glasses, plus I gave a pair to my sister and a friend. I am wondering if Amazon “jumped the gun”. Many thanks.

By: Brian Koberlein

Brian Koberlein — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 15:09:11 +0000

Ah, then a good alternative is a pinhole camera. You can make one out of a cardboard box, or even just a sheet of paper.

By: Bernardo

Bernardo — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 14:08:57 +0000

In Argentina (the f… country where I live) we don’t have plenty access to the variety in brands and qualities of these kind of things. Moreover, I live in a city where there aren’t any eclipse glasses at all!! And in the case any of them came from USA or wherever to here, they would be of lowest quality you have there, and would be sold at more than double their real price. Of course, forget “free” ones!!! That’s why we most of the time have to manage to do alternative things.

By: Brian Koberlein

Brian Koberlein — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 13:16:23 +0000

Honestly, just don’t. The eclipse glasses are cheap (and in many cases free), and they are designed for eclipse viewing. Instead of trying to piece together something, contact your local libraries. Many of them have plenty of eclipse glasses.

By: Bernardo

Bernardo — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 12:00:46 +0000

Brian, what I didn’t find in any website is if it is safe to look at the Sun through a completly velated X-ray film. I just only found that “never use an X-ray film with parts not obscured”, which is obvious, but what about using them if you can use only the parts that are “black”? Sometimes I have stacked two completly black pieces of these films and the Sun is still seen (not with three of them stacked, with only one the Sun still is too shiny)