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If you can't get a safe solar filter, use a projection method to indirectly view the eclipse safely. Don't risk your eyes.
OR,
One can still buy eclipse glasses. The glasses are for sale throughout the zone, and in areas around the zone.
I just realized that Amazon is out of the ones that I had verified were certified, and what I am seeing there now is very expensive. Now that Amazon removed all the listings that could not be verified as ISO certified, the prices of what was left went way up.
OR,
One can still buy eclipse glasses. The glasses are for sale throughout the zone, and in areas around the zone.
I just realized that Amazon is out of the ones that I had verified were certified, and what I am seeing there now is very expensive. Now that Amazon removed all the listings that could not be verified as ISO certified, the prices of what was left went way up.
Even the Lowes near me (about 1000 miles away) has lots of glasses for sale.
OR,
One can still buy eclipse glasses. The glasses are for sale throughout the zone, and in areas around the zone.
I just realized that Amazon is out of the ones that I had verified were certified, and what I am seeing there now is very expensive. Now that Amazon removed all the listings that could not be verified as ISO certified, the prices of what was left went way up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom
Even the Lowes near me (about 1000 miles away) has lots of glasses for sale.
It can't be stressed enough that, at least online, there have been warnings about fake eclipse glasses being sold which can put the person who wears them at risk of eye damage.
It can't be stressed enough that, at least online, there have been warnings about fake eclipse glasses being sold which can put the person who wears them at risk of eye damage.
My FIL got some dubious eclipse glasses from Amazon that were recalled last week. Now it's too late for him to get any online. Luckily I bought a 10 pack for my 4 person family so I can just send him some in the mail.
The ones I got at Lowes were genuine from American Paper Optics.
My FIL got some dubious eclipse glasses from Amazon that were recalled last week. Now it's too late for him to get any online. Luckily I bought a 10 pack for my 4 person family so I can just send him some in the mail.
The ones I got at Lowes were genuine from American Paper Optics.
I actually bought some through amazon.. Back in February or so.. I knew there'd be a crunch as we got closer.. Think I bought like 60 pairs.. Still have about 10 sitting here next to me.. Figure there'll be people in the parking lot here that don't have them and i'll hand them out then.. Of course, someone told me I should charge $20 a pair, but..
These were Rainbow Symphony glasses, which are one of the approved manufacturers.
Tips to Indirectly & Safely View the Eclipse Without Glasses!
There have been warnings not to look directly at the Sun, so there's no need to rehash that. Some stores have completely sold out their supply of glasses to safely view the eclipse. If you don't have glasses approved for watching the eclipse, and stores around are sold out, there are other alternatives that can allow you to indirectly watch the eclipse. You can take a piece of ordinary cardboard and use a pencil to punch a hole all the way through it. You'll want to have a white piece of paper that you can set on the sidewalk or driveway or wherever you'll have a view of the eclipse. Set the cardboard near the paper and tilt the cardboard at an angle so the light from the Sun shines through the hole onto the paper. As the eclipse increases in obscurity, you should see a dark curve of the Moon's shadow that gradually increases the circular sunlight light on the paper. It's cheap to make, and safe on your eyes.
The video below also gives a couple of other handy ideas as safe alternatives you can use. I would also recommend looking around outdoors at trees, shrubs, cars, houses, buildings and whatever else, to see how it looks. Look at outdoor pets or other animals to see if the eclipse has any kind of effect on their behavior. I did that back in the 70's and it was a pretty weird experience as the eclipse approached totality.
I looked at the sun with a special pair of 8x binoculars today. Wow, pretty impressive; I could even see the sunspots.
Ages ago, I had a small refractor telescope that included a sun filter that could be threaded on. It was very interesting to be able to safely see the sunspots.
Ages ago, I had a small refractor telescope that included a sun filter that could be threaded on. It was very interesting to be able to safely see the sunspots.
Observing sunspots is very cool. But for the benefit of any readers who may own an old 60 mm refractor like the one you describe: sun filters that screw onto an eyepiece (as opposed to the front of the telescope) ARE NOT SAFE!!! The intense, focused heat of the sunlight can cause such a filter to suddenly crack while in use. If you own such a filter, destroy it! Then go get a safe filter that fits on the front of the telescope.
Safe solar filters ALWAYS filter the sunlight to safe levels before the light enters the optical assembly.
Observing sunspots is very cool. But for the benefit of any readers who may own an old 60 mm refractor like the one you describe: sun filters that screw onto an eyepiece (as opposed to the front of the telescope) ARE NOT SAFE!!! The intense, focused heat of the sunlight can cause such a filter to suddenly crack while in use. If you own such a filter, destroy it! Then go get a safe filter that fits on the front of the telescope.
Safe solar filters ALWAYS filter the sunlight to safe levels before the light enters the optical assembly.
Agreed, and thanks for the heads up warning. I never had a cracking problem with the sun lens, probably because I didn't use the telescope more than a few minutes to observe the sun and its sunspots. Most of my time was at night looking at stars, planets and M-31 without the sun filter. But I can see how the sun filter could possibly crack. I should mention that was some 50 years ago. The telescope I used was a refractor with a star diagonal prism to make sky viewing easier. While your suggestion makes sense, the point was meant that the solar filter was dark enough to allow viewing the sun with the telescope.
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Tips to Indirectly & Safely View the Eclipse Without Glasses!
Agreed, and thanks for the heads up warning. I never had a cracking problem with the sun lens, probably because I didn't use the telescope more than a few minutes to observe the sun and its sunspots. Most of my time was at night looking at stars, planets and M-31 without the sun filter. But I can see how the sun filter could possibly crack. I should mention that was some 50 years ago. The telescope I used was a refractor with a star diagonal prism to make sky viewing easier. While your suggestion makes sense, the point was meant that the solar filter was dark enough to allow viewing the sun with the telescope.
