Editor’s Note: Live coverage of the eclipse from the path of totality begins in the player above from 7am. Tune in for the whole thing live starting at 1:55 p.m.
Some pairs of glasses intended for the total solar eclipse have been recalled due to a “potential safety issue,” according to reports.
According to a report from NBC affiliate WHEC in Rochester, people who purchased certain eclipse glasses on Amazon may have received an email from the online retailer stating that the glasses are in fact unsafe for viewing the eclipse and that the package labeling of “AAS Approved” is in fact incorrect.
“Dear Amazon Customer, We are writing to inform you of a potential security issue with a product you purchased from Amazon.com,” the email reads in part. “Affected product: Biniki Solar Eclipse Glasses AAS 2024 approved – CE and ISO certified safety glasses for direct observation of the sun (6 packs). The product listed above was not included in the American Astronomical Society’s list of safe providers of solar eclipse viewers and filters and therefore may not be safe for viewing a solar eclipse.
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The note went on to suggest that customers who purchased the glasses should not use them to view Monday’s solar eclipse.
Several local Midwest retailers have also posted notices regarding Eclipse glasses recalls, the Missourian noted.
“DO NOT USE! Please check your solar eclipse glasses,” reads a Facebook post from Fink’s ALPS in Union, Missouri. The Facebook post referred to glasses with an EN ISO 12312-1:2022 number.
Similar Facebook posts were made by retailers near Missouri, including K & R Market in Marthasville and St. Clair Country Mart in St. Clair.
According to a Facebook post from St. Clair Country Mart, solar eclipse glasses are expected to be made in the United States and carry the ISO 12312-2 designation.
How to know if your solar eclipse glasses are working
According to the Adler Planetarium, observing the solar eclipse without proper glasses can lead to irreversible eye damage within seconds, and as your eyes do not have the nerve endings necessary to register the pain as it occurs.
Additionally, your pupils will be more dilated as the eclipse occurs, allowing more harmful rays to enter your eyes than on a normal sunny day.
Ordinary sunglasses, even dark ones, are not safe to view the eclipse.
Given the risk of irreversible eye damage from viewing the eclipse without protection, it is essential to ensure that the solar eclipse glasses used are not counterfeit.
But there’s no real way to tell real glasses from fakes just by looking at them.
“The glasses, if they are counterfeit, may appear to be in good condition, because they may be dark enough that you can make it look like it is safe to look at the sun. But what you don’t know , is that they allow ultraviolet and infrared light to pass through. That’s the thing that worries me the most,” said Michelle Nichols, director of public observation at the Adler Planetarium.
Detecting fact from fiction becomes even more difficult when companies tout unproven or inaccurate security claims.
“Just be careful and don’t assume just because it says safety glasses that they actually are because anyone can write it,” she said.
If you’re still wondering how to know if your glasses will offer you the right protection, here’s a tip, according to experts:
“When you wear glasses, you shouldn’t see anything,” Dr. Nina Goyal, an ophthalmologist at Rush University Medical Center, told NBC Chicago. “It’s a flexible resin with carbon particles infused in it, the only thing you should see.” I can see through these the orange glow of the sun. Do not use sunglasses, layer sunglasses, or use smoked glass. »
Experts suggest purchasing solar eclipse glasses from vendors deemed “safe” by the American Astronomical Society.
The company’s listing offers links to “selected providers of solar viewers and filters that you can be sure are safe when used properly.”
“These include companies and organizations with which members of the AAS Solar Eclipse Working Group have had good experience as well as other companies and organizations that have demonstrated to our satisfaction that the products they sell meet the safety requirements of ISO 12312-2. international standard,” the listing says.
The company specifies, however, that its list is not exhaustive, and that glasses not listed on the site could still be safe. They don’t recommend using Amazon, eBay, Temu or other online marketplaces to find the cheapest options.
“Before purchasing a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you ensure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page,” the company says.
Here are the main takeaways for finding legitimate eclipse glasses:
- When purchasing eclipse glasses, look for an approved manufacturer on the astronomical society’s website and make sure the ISO numbers 1-2-3-1-2-2 are printed on the inside of the glasses.
- You can find the list of safe solar viewer and filter providers here.
- If you still have your glasses from the 2017 eclipse, you may be able to reuse them. But that’s only if they aren’t bent, torn or scratched.
Some Chicago area museums and stores are also offering free solar eclipse glasses and viewers while supplies last.
- Solar filters: If you want to use a telescope, binoculars or camera, do not use them without protection even if you have secure anti-eclipse glasses. Consult the manufacturer for the correct filter to attach to your device.
- Pinhole viewer: This is a simple and inexpensive way to view the eclipse indirectly. Simply take two sheets of white paper (cardstock is best) and punch a hole in the middle of one sheet. With your back to the sun, hold the sheet with the hole on the other sheet and adjust it until you see a point of light. It’s the sun! When the moon passes through the sun, a crescent appears.
NBC Chicago
