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One reason a total solar eclipse is so compelling is that it’s the one time humans can turn their soft, sensitive eyes to the sky and gaze directly upon the celestial body that gives life to us and everything else on Earth.
In the time leading up to and following the two-minute solar eclipse on Aug. 21, and for everyone not in the “path of totality,” there will be many more minutes of partial eclipse, which require specialized, ultra-dark glasses to see safely. And so, in the past few months, a cottage industry has sprung up to accommodate this market need.
NASA has a website dedicated to the 2017 eclipse, and on it, they have a section on eclipse-viewing safety. Eclipse-viewing glasses must meet a few basic criteria: glasses should have ISO 12312-2 certification (that is, passing a particular set of tests set forth by the International Organization of Standardization), have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product, and not be older than three years, or have scratched or wrinkled lenses.
The first stop for most seeking a pair of solar eclipse glasses is likely to be Amazon, where there are thousands of listings. NASA has a list of trustworthy lens brands for safe eclipse viewing; the problem is many of the devices listed on Amazon are counterfeits of these brands, made by fly-by-night manufacturers looking to turn a quick profit by selling subpar and potentially dangerous goods to unsuspecting consumers. —Elijah Wolfson
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