For the first time since June 8, 1918, the United States has the chance to witness a total solar eclipse across all of the country. This Monday, almost a century later, we have the chance to witness it yet again. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. the eclipse will take place and there will be a few moments of total darkness.
This is the first time in United States history that the eclipse will only cover our country dubbing it the, “Great American Eclipse.”
While this is a monumental event and can be really cool to witness, if the proper protection is not used to cover the eyes, damage and blindness can occur.
Directly staring at the sun is still dangerous, and this event, though the moon will fully cover the sun at some point, will be no different.
There are special glasses being sold in order to help people protect their eyes as they view it. These glasses are to be used for looking at the eclipse with caution. NASA’s website explains that the safest way to view the eclipse is through these specific glasses, but using damaged or ripped glasses is not safe as they do not offer the same protection. It also explains the dangers of using a camera or viewing device such as binoculars to look directly at the sun.
However, this opportunity has provided scammers a door into this new market. Fake glasses have flooded the scene and are very dangerous for uninformed consumers. These fake sun goggles offer no protection from solar radiation and are not certified, meaning they are unsafe and highly dangerous for those who cannot tell the difference.
Amazon recently sent refunds to people who purchased potentially fake glasses that were sold on the website. They issued an email to customers who may have purchased fake solar viewers saying, “Out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively reached out to customers and provided refunds for eclipse glasses that may not comply with industry standards.”
Real glasses are marked differently by distributors and multiple online sources offer help in distinguishing the difference in real and phony glasses for those who are concerned.
The potential dangers of the eclipse are serious and Monday, as issued by Hillsborough County, is classified as an excused absence for those who do not want to risk the possibility.
Lauren Johnston // Backpage Editor
