ST. LOUIS — With millions of people expected to watch the solar eclipse on April 8, the American Astronomical Society (AAS) warns of fake eclipse glasses.
To spot fake eclipse glasses, check to see if the labeling on the glasses is correct. The label should read ISO 12312.
Safe solar views should comply with the UV, visible and IR transmittance requirements of the ISO 12312-2 standard, according to AAS.
“You can’t just look for a statement to that effect on the product or its package. Anyone can print such a statement, but that doesn’t make it true,” according to the AAS. “The only way to know for sure is to have the product tested at a laboratory that has been approved to conduct such tests by a recognized accrediting body.”
Another way to test solar glasses, the AAS recommends putting them on indoors. The person should not be able to see anything around them, except very bright lights that should appear very faint.
“If you can see anything else, such as household furnishings or pictures on the wall, your glasses aren’t dark enough for solar viewing,” according to the AAS.
If the glasses pass the indoor test, then put them on outside on a sunny day and look around. The person should still not see anything through them except for the sun’s reflection off of a shiny surface or puddle, which should appear very faint, according to the AAS.
If the glasses pass the second test, glance at the sun with them on for less than a second. The person should see a sharp-edged, round disk, known as the sun’s visible face, that is “comfortably bright.”
“Depending on the type of filter in the glasses, the Sun may appear white, bluish white, yellow, or orange. If your glasses pass all three tests, they are probably safe,” according to the AAS.
The organization does not recommend getting eclipse glasses from Amazon, eBay, Temu or any other online marketplace.
For more information on fake and counterfeit eclipse glasses, click here.
Below is where you can get solar eclipse glasses ahead of the big day:
All St. Louis Public Library branches are offering free eclipse glasses. There is a limit of one pair per person while supplies last.
In stores nationwide, Warby Parker will give away free eclipse glasses from April 1-8 while supplies last.
Tickets to the ECLISPE, the Planetarium’s newest live star show at the St. Louis Science Center, includes a pair of solar eclipse glasses.
Some locations of the following retailers sell ISO-compliant safe eclipse glasses in-store made by AAS approved companies:
The AAS cautions to only buy the solar eclipse glasses in stores versus online at those retailers.
Eclipse glasses can be ordered online from the following American Astronomical Society approved companies:
- American Paper Optics
- Rainbow Symphony
- American Paper Wear
- Grafix Plastics (sheets and rolls, wholesale only)
- Halo Eclipse Spectacles
- Celestial Optical (EclipseGuard glasses | SolarShield sheets)
- Thousand Oaks Optical
- Seymour Solar (Hyperion sheets)
- Flip'n Shades (clip-ons for baseball caps)
- DayStar Filters