The total eclipse of the sun is happening April 8th, and if you’re lucky enough to be able to watch it from the path of totality, you’re going to need solar eclipse glasses to protect your eyes.
Solar eclipse glasses are special glasses that block out the most dangerous parts of the solar spectrum for human eyes. When you look through them, the sun should appear as an easy-to-view yellow-orange circle. Be aware that these glasses will block out all light — so you won’t use these glasses while walking, driving or doing anything but eclipse viewing.
Counterfeit knock-offs have flooded the market, so you’re going to want to make sure that your eyes are really being protected.
According to the American Astronomical Society, a real and safe pair of solar eclipse glasses should be labeled with ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written in more detail as ISO 12312-2:2015), which is an international safety standard which means the glasses reduce visible sunlight to safe levels and block UV and IR radiation.
The AAS advises testing solar glasses indoors by ensuring only bright lights are visible. If you see shapes, like pictures on the wall, they are not safe for solar viewing.
