How to make sure your eclipse glasses actually work

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?

American Eclipse

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.



How can glasses be counterfeit?

It's supposed to be super simple to determine the effectiveness of eclipse lenses. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) uses a standard called ISO 12312-2 to certify these products. To achieve ISO 12312-2 compliance, companies have to file paperwork proving that their lenses block a certain amount of UV light. If they meet that standard, then the business can label those glasses with the appropriate ISO certification number printed on their product.

This is because having appropriately darkened glasses is crucial to safe eclipse viewing. If you're actually on the path of totality—where the sun will be totally blocked out by the moon for a minute or two—it's safe to stare up at the phenomenon without glasses during that brief period of complete darkness. But during a partial eclipse (which will make up the bulk of the event no matter how good your viewing spot is) you must protect your eyes.

Read more at https://www.popsci.com/fake-solar-eclipse-glasses

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