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It’s time to buy solar eclipse glasses. On Saturday, October 14, a solar eclipse will be seen from across the U.S., with those inside a 125 miles wide path through nine states in the U.S. Southwest glimpsing a rare “ring of fire” annulus or halo around the new moon.
Safety-wise, that makes no difference. Everyone will need to use solar eclipse glasses. That means a shortage is coming.
Here’s everything you need to know about solar eclipse glasses—and where to buy them before it’s too late:
Where To Buy Solar Eclipse Glasses
If you’re going to an organized solar eclipse viewing event there will almost certainly be solar eclipse glasses available for purchase. They’re also available at major science museums. You might also find them being sold in local stores.
Wherever you see them, give them a quick check to see if any of the major manufacturers are mentioned:
If you see any of those names, you’re all set—all those company’s products comply with the safety regulations.
How To Buy Solar Eclipse Glasses Online
If you want to purchase them online, don’t just idly punch “solar eclipse glasses” into a search engine and buy from the first vendor that pops up.
Instead, choose from the vetted list of Suppliers of Safe Solar Filters & Viewers on the website of the American Astronomical Society. All products sold by these vendors, resellers and distributors meet the all-important ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.
“It’s easy to find a lot of third-party product online,” said Dr. Ralph Chou, the world’s leading expert on eclipse eye safety, in an interview, who adds that studying compliance messaging will give you clues. “If you find something that is very inexpensive coming from a small supplier and doesn’t have either American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical or Baader labeling on it then the chances are it’s one of these third party sources.” Most likely an anonymous Chinese company.
Back in 2017, before the last total solar eclipse in the U.S., Amazon stop selling solar eclipse glasses after counterfeits surfaced. It appeared that many were being imported from China that were labeled as ISO-compliant without being properly tested. Stick to one of the Suppliers of Safe Solar Filters & Viewers and there is no problem.
How Much Solar Eclipse Glasses Cost
The price you pay for solar eclipse glasses often goes up just before a solar eclipse—as market forces take over—but typically you should expect to pay about $5 for a pair. Often you’ll find them sold in bundles of several pairs, some in packages with maps or information booklets.
Price is also a good way of checking that you’re buying authentic, safe solar eclipse glasses. “If you’re paying more than 5$ it’s extortionate and if you’re paying much less than that it’s probably a different product,” said Chou.
Do not search for “solar eclipse glasses” on the internet and buy from random retailers that appear in search results. Instead, use one of the many links on the Suppliers of Safe Solar Filters & Viewers page.
Where To Get Free Solar Eclipse Glasses
Via the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation-funded Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries (SEAL) project, five-million pairs of solar-viewing glasses are being distributed for free to 10,000 libraries.
You can find out if there’s a library near you with solar eclipse glasses using this interactive map.
Why You Should Share Solar Eclipse Glasses
It’s really not necessary to buy solar eclipse glasses for everyone in a group. Just share them. “They’re simply intended to allow you to have a quick look up and then come back down, take them off and go about your business until you want to look again,” said Chou. “They’re not intended to be worn for a long period of time.”
After all, it’s not like you’re going to put a pair on and stare at the sun for an hour. besides, that’s going to give you a real pain in the neck.
I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of “The Complete Guide To The Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024.”
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.