A solar eclipse is truly something everyone has a high interest in. It’s always a grand thing to watch nature do something spectacular. But you can’t watch a solar eclipse without solar eclipse glasses. Solar eclipse glasses (certified ones) protect your eyes from the harmful effects of the sun. Physlink says it’s safe to look at a solar eclipse when the moon is fully blocking the sun but unsafe through the actual eclipse. This is because our eyes are not designed to handle the energy output of the sun and your retina can be damaged.
Solar eclipse glasses are specially made to block the harmful rays of the sun allowing you to safely watch the eclipse from start to finish. With the upcoming eclipse on August 21st, solar eclipse glasses are hard to find and are selling at premium prices. The most sought after glasses are made by American Paper Optics company.
NASA stresses that eclipse watchers be sure that their glasses are both from an approved manufacturer and have an ISO icon with reference 12312-2. Approved manufacturers include American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Thousands Oaks Optical, and TSE 17.
You can understand why it’s important to find approved glasses, losing your eyesight isn’t worth watching a full eclipse without them. With the excitement over this eclipse, American Paper Optics glasses are selling from $14.99USD each and up. The glasses normally retail for $1.00USD (judging from the packaging) but high demand has eBay resellers making a huge profit. American Paper Optics only sells the glasses in bulk to retailers like Walmart.
Those who were prepared and purchased their glasses from Walmart and other retailers, probably paid a reasonable price for them. Those who are scrambling at the last minute, well, they’re paying a good chunk of change for the experience and it’s probably worth it. Vox has a good video on why this solar eclipse is such a big deal.
On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totality can see one of nature’s most awe inspiring sights – a total solar eclipse. This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun’s tenuous atmosphere – the corona – can be seen, will stretch from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun’s disk. NASA created this website to provide a guide to this amazing event. Here you will find activities, events, broadcasts, and resources from NASA and our partners across the nation. ~NASA~
So if you’re still looking for solar eclipse glasses, you had better jump on them quickly before prices really get crazy. I can’t imagine what next day or overnight shipping charges will be. Just remember: make sure you buy the certified glasses only, buying and using uncertified glasses could result in eye damage if they turn out to be fake.
Will you be watching the solar eclipse? Have you purchased your certified solar eclipse glasses? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
