How, When (And When Not) To Wear Eclipse Glasses, According To Experts
April 2, 2024, 06:00pm EDT
President Donald Trump puts on special glasses to look at the Solar Eclipse on the Truman Balcony at …
Safety at solar eclipses is relatively easy. If any part of the sun’s bright disk is still visible, use solar eclipse glasses. If you’re in the path of totality—that narrow shadow of the moon through parts of 15 U.S. states—you must take them off during totality, when no part of the sun’s bright disk is visible.
Anyone who tells you anything different knows very little about solar eclipses and has never seen one (and there are plenty of these people around who are more than happy to dispense advice, including eye doctors). But there are nuances, safeguards, and details that it’s best you know before April 8 because many wrong assumptions are made about how to wear solar eclipse glasses.
I’ve seen people wear them inside out, put them on and clearly have no idea where the sun is. Worst of all, some people wear them during totality, making the solar corona completely invisible and wasting your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t be that guy.
How To Use Solar Eclipse Glasses
Put glasses on your face, and look at the sun. Easy! Actually, here’s how to do it:
- Stand and face the sun with your eyes turned to the ground.
- If your eclipse glasses have an aluminized surface and a plain surface, the aluminized one should face towards the sun.
- Bring the solar eclipse glasses to your face and secure them.
- Raise your neck to look at the sun directly in front or above you.
Are you done after a few seconds? Yup, most people are. Eclipse glasses are for checking on the progress of the eclipse, not a full-on, multi-hour serious study of the sun’s surface.
Which is why it’s fine to share a pair.
How To Wear Solar Eclipse Glasses
Solar eclipse glasses are almost always made from cardboard and have two pre-made scores in the arms. That allows you to make them better fit a small or big face. Most people will never notice this, but it makes them fit better. If they sit comfortably behind your ears, then fine, but know that eclipse glasses can very easily fall off. So it’s best to hold the glasses’ arms against your temples with your fingers to secure them in place.
How To Wear Solar Eclipse Glasses Over Regular Eyeglasses
Do you normally wear prescription eyeglasses? Keep them on. Just put your eclipse glasses on over them or hold your handheld viewer in front of them. “Stan
