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2024-11-11

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Fake eclipse glasses are hitting the market. Here’s how to tell if you have a pair (www.cnn.com)

submitted 8 months ago by MicroWave to c/science

32 comments fedilink hide all child comments

As the total solar eclipse, occurring across Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8, draws near, experts are reminding spectators to grab a pair of eclipse glasses to view the celestial event safely — and to make sure they aren’t fake.

Counterfeit eclipse glasses are “polluting the marketplace,” according to a release shared by the American Astronomical Society, or AAS.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s face from view for a few moments. About 32 million people in the US live within the 115-mile-wide (185-kilometer-wide) path of totality, or locations where the moon will appear to completely cover the sun and the lunar shadow falls on the Earth’s surface. People outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse in which the moon only blocks part of the sun’s face.

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[–] [email protected] 100 points 8 months ago (3 children)

“There’s no way to tell just by looking at them whether eclipse glasses are genuinely safe,” Fienberg said, “but it’s easy to tell if they are not safe.”

Try on the glasses indoors first. Nothing should be visible through the lenses, and even the brightest lights should only appear very faintly. If furnishings or wall decor are visible through the lenses, these glasses aren’t safe to view the sun.

But if the glasses pass the indoor test, the AAS recommends putting them on outside during a sunny day and looking around. Again, nothing should be visible through the lenses, unless the sun is reflecting off an exceptionally shiny surface, and even then the light will appear faint if the glasses are safe.

If the glasses pass that second test, try looking at the sun through them for less than a second. If the glasses are safe, the sun will appear comfortably bright and likely white, yellow, orange or bluish white.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago

thank you

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

I had working glasses that made the sun look neon green too.

[–] nexguy 2 points 8 months ago

I would still be worried that if you don't but from a reputable source, the glasses may only block visible light and seem fine when they may not be blocking dangerous UV light.