Do Homework Before Buying Your Solar Eclipse Glasses

The first total solar eclipse in the continental US since 1979 is fast approaching and Amazon sellers are ready. Many who typically sell fad items are hawking solar eclipse glasses—meant to block 99.99% of sunlight, per the Verge—in the lead-up to Aug. 21, taking over a market previously dominated by NASA-approved manufacturers. 

There are "literally thousands" of glasses up for grabs on Amazon, writes Elijah Wolfson at Quartz. The problem is that they might not do their job. Wolfson and colleagues reviewed 140 of the top listings for "eclipse glasses" on Amazon and found that few met NASA guidelines, which state that the glasses should be unblemished and less than three years old, and include the maker's information and an ISO 12312-2 certification.

Read the full story on Newser.com


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