Eclipse mania is starting to ramp up this week as the nation prepares for next Monday’s celestial extravaganza, the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024. It’s time to get your eclipse glasses if you haven’t already done so!
But do you really need special solar eclipse glasses? The answer: absolutely YES!
You should never stare directly at the sun, even during the partial eclipse in New York City, where at its maximum 90 percent of the sun will be obscured by the moon, with anything but approved or certified eclipse glasses.
Even the 10 percent of the sun’s radiation that still gets past the moon here in New York City will damage your eyes.
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Will ordinary sunglasses do the job? NO!
Sunglasses are way too weak. According to The Planetary Society, certified solar eclipse glasses are 100,000 times darker than ordinary sunglasses. They filter out nearly all visible light along with infrared and ultraviolet radiation. When you look through them, you should not be able to see anything but the sun itself. They’re THAT dark. And only these glasses are safe for your eyes during an eclipse.
Make sure your eclipse glasses are ISO certified. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has a comprehensive list of things to look for to make sure your glasses are safe. They should be labelled ISO 12312-2 if they meet the standard for safe viewing. However, there may be counterfeit glasses out there that are NOT from an approved manufacturer. If you want to confirm your glasses are safe, the AAS continues to compile a list of approved manufacturers.
The only time it is safe to view an eclipse without these glasses is during few minutes of totality, when the moon completely covers the sun. That will not happen in and around New York City, since we are not in the path of totality.
So keep your eclipse glasses on from start to finish and your eyes will thank you.
Here's a look at where you can get free eclipse glasses in New York.
