How to Protect Your Eyes to View The Solar Eclipse On April 8
How to Protect Your Eyes to View The Solar Eclipse On April 8
Don't Get Blindsided By Bogus Solar Eclipse Scams
Are you totally ready for totality—meaning the upcoming total solar eclipse? This Monday, April 8, North America will get to witness a solar eclipse for the first time in seven years. And if you miss it, it won’t be until August 23, 2044, that you can see another one. So, you may want to look towards the sun around 11:07 am PDT if you are in Mexico, 1:27 pm CDT in Texas, 3:18 pm EDT in New York, 3:35 pm EDT in Maine at 3:35 pm, and other times in other places as shown by NASA’s Eclipse Explorer. But don’t do so without protecting your eyes with special glasses or other types of eye protection. Otherwise, you may get blinded by science, so to speak. And make sure that any such protection meets proper ISO 12312-2 international safety standards. After all, there are a lot of bogus products out there being marketed as "eclipse" devices because surprise, surprise, there are people out there willing to scam you for money.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon is positioned directly between the sun and the Earth. Think of a baby's head completely blocking your view of a movie screen even though the baby's head is much smaller than the screen...except that this baby's head is 2,159 miles in diameter and the screen is 864,575 miles in diameter. Although solar eclipses happen every year-and-half or so, only particular parts of the world may see a given eclipse. For example, if the sun, moon, and Earth align while your part of the world is facing away from the Sun (i.e., during nighttime), you won't see the eclipse. Or depending on your angle from the sun and moon at the time, you may only see a partial eclipse. So, on April 8, hello darkness my old friend for a moment, depending on where you live.
But be careful when you try to witness it. The sun can literally burn out your eyes if you look at it too long. Solar retinopathy results when the sun's rays damage or destroy the photoreceptors that comprise your retina. The retina is the structure in the back of the inside of your eyeball that transmits images to your brain. Photoreceptors are cells that convert light particles into electrical signals then sent by nerve cells.
When damaged in solar retinopathy, some photoreceptors may take 3-6 months to recover. However, others may never recover or grow back. Lose photoreceptors and you lose some of your vision. Lose enough photoreceptors and you become blind. Thankfully, under normal conditions, the brightness of the sun hurts your eyes to the point that you can't stare it too long. Throw in the moon to block the brightness of the sun, and you no longer have that cue to stop staring at the sunbeams that are still damaging your eyes. In theory, for those in the path of totality, a total eclipse will completely block the sun's rays, but as long as a sliver of sun is still exposed, you will be at risk if you look at it unprotected.
NASA along with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Optometry, the National Science Foundation, and other organizations have prepared a guide on how to safely view the solar eclipse.
Note that recommended eyewear does not include "homemade" eye protection or regular sunglasses, which will simply make you look either very dorky or very cool while your retinas are being seared. Stick to stuff that has been properly tested and officially meets the correct ISO 12312-2 international safety standards. Options include wearing eclipse glasses and using handheld solar viewers.
Also, keep in mind that any camera, binoculars, telescope, or other viewing device that magnifies the sun should also be equipped with proper solar filters. Note that wearing proper eclipse glasses while using such magnifying devices will not be enough, since any magnifying device will magnify or intensify the solar beams. While wearing a welding mask could make you look like Boba Fett from Star Wars, it still has to have the right amount of tinting to protect you (ideally a shade number of 13, according to the AAS). But unless you are a welder or Boba Fett, you may want to stick to official eclipse devices.
Even if you use devices that meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standards, you still have to use them properly ... just like how wearing a condom on your foot won't help prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Check that the glasses or filters are the right size and do not have scratches or damage. Make sure that you are using these devices properly. Don't use the solar eclipse as the first time to try the devices. Your next words may be, “Argh, these are too small.” Put on any devices completely before even turning towards the sun and keep the devices on until you have completely turned away from the sun.
Now, any historical event will be accompanied by scams, because that's what some people do. Just because something is advertised as an eclipse device doesn't mean that it offers any protection. What's “sunbelievable” is that some sellers are even putting fake ISO stickers on their products or claiming that their products meet such standards when they really don't. The other way they can cover your eyes is by reporting fake studies, ones that don't appear in reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals or are not referenced in PubMed. Yes, people would actually let you burn your eyes out just to make a buck.
Rather than trust advertising, check the American Astronomical Society (AAS) catalog of reputable vendors of solar filters and viewers. NASA has recommended only the following U.S. companies as reputable manufacturers of solar eclipse glasses:
Flip'n Shades (clip-ons for baseball caps)
Celestial Optical (EclipseGuard glasses | SolarShield sheets)
Grafix Plastics (sheets & rolls, wholesale only)
American PaperWear (Solar Rollens viewers)
Seymour Solar (Hyperion sheets)
Even if you see a device with one of these manufacturers' names on it, make sure that it isn't fake or a knock-off. Knock-off Gucci bags are one thing. Knock-off solar eclipse glasses are on a completely different level. Also, avoid using cash to purchase any eclipse devices since using a credit card does offer some protection… for your wallet, that is.
Another thing, solar eclipse devices are for solar eclipses and not for driving, operating heavy machinery, aggressive dancing in crowded areas, or doing anything where you need proper vision. Yes, you may be buying something that you won't use again for decades. But if they are properly made and tested, the devices may be worth purchasing to witness what may be the astronomical event of the decade.