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For direct viewing outside totality, use purpose-made solar eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer that can be traced to a verified manufacturer and seller. If you use a camera, telescope, binoculars, or other magnifying optics, attach a special-purpose solar filter over the front of the instrument; glasses worn over your eyes are not enough. If you cannot verify a direct viewer, use indirect projection instead. The only unaided-eye exception is the brief totality of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face.
Start with the eclipse phase
The amount of the Sun covered is not a safety test. A remaining crescent can still injure your eyes, and darkness during an eclipse does not make direct viewing safe.
Partial eclipse
During every phase of a partial eclipse, keep a purpose-made solar viewer between your eyes and the Sun. Never look directly at the visible portion, even when only a thin sliver remains.
Annular eclipse
An annular eclipse has no period of totality: the Moon leaves a bright ring of sunlight visible throughout the event. Direct viewing therefore requires a suitable solar viewer at every phase.
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- TRUSTED BY MILLIONS - Soluna Glasses are made in the USA by NASA-approved manufacturer American Paper Optics, and are recognized as ISO-compliant by the American Astronomical Society. Join the millions of eclipse chasers that trusted Soluna Eclipse Glasses for the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.
- CE AND ISO CERTIFIED FOR DIRECT SUN VIEWING - Our eclipse glasses have been independently tested and verified by ICS Laboratories under the most current standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E) for filters for direct observation of the sun. You can watch the total solar eclipse with absolute confidence in your eye safety.
- OPTIMIZED DESIGN - Soluna Glasses feature scratch-resistant Silver Polymer lens material with an optical density of 5 or greater. Our glasses filter 100% of harmful ultra-violet, 100% of harmful infrared, and 99.999% of intense visible light, offering both unparalleled safety and comfort for the best viewing experience.
- A COMFORTABLE FIT - These certified eclipse glasses are designed for teens and adults, featuring convenient crease lines on both sides for an easy, secure fit.
- 2023 ANNULAR AND 2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES - On October 14th 2023, an annular eclipse (when the sun forms a ring around the moon) will cross the United States from Oregon to Texas. We will then experience a once-in-a-generation Total Solar Eclipse on April 8th 2024 - the only USA total eclipse until August 23rd, 2044. You will be amazed as the moon completely blocks the sun during Totality, which lasts but mere minutes. Soluna Glasses are what you need to safely view both of these eclipses.
Total eclipse
Unaided viewing is safe only during the short interval of totality, after the Moon has completely covered the Sun’s bright face. Use protection while the Moon is still moving into place, remove it only after totality has begun, and put it back on before any bright solar surface reappears. A total eclipse requires protection before and after totality just as a partial eclipse does.
Choose a viewing method
| Method | Best fit | Safety requirements and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer | Direct naked-eye viewing | Must be designed for direct solar observation. Verify the maker and seller, inspect the filter, and never use it as a filter behind a camera, telescope, or binoculars. |
| Front-mounted solar filter | Viewing through a telescope, binoculars, camera, or similar optics | Use a special-purpose filter secured over the front opening of the instrument. The filter must fit that equipment; ask an astronomy expert if you are unsure. |
| Pinhole or other projection | No verified direct viewer available; group viewing | Keep the Sun behind you and watch its projected image on a surface. Never look through the pinhole or through projecting optics. |
| Unaided eyes | Totality of a total solar eclipse only | Safe only while the Moon completely covers the bright solar face. Resume protection immediately when any bright portion returns. |
How to select safe eclipse glasses or a handheld viewer
Look for the right kind of product
Choose a solar eclipse viewer explicitly made for looking directly at the Sun. Ordinary sunglasses, layered sunglasses, welding shades not identified for solar viewing, photographic filters, and homemade dark material are not substitutes. NASA describes proper solar viewers as thousands of times darker than ordinary sunglasses, but that wording is a description of the intended optical performance, not a certification of a particular product.
The relevant safety standard is ISO 12312-2. A printed ISO claim or a label saying “eclipse safe” is not, by itself, evidence that the product was made or tested correctly. NASA says it does not approve any particular brand of solar viewers. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) advises checking the current supplier list and selecting a manufacturer and authorized reseller represented there. Treat a marketplace listing, an untraceable seller, or a vague compliance claim as unverified.
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- Identify the actual manufacturer, not just the marketplace storefront.
- Check that the manufacturer and seller appear on the current AAS supplier list or can otherwise provide credible, traceable safety information.
- Confirm that the product is intended for direct solar observation and states conformity with ISO 12312-2.
- Keep the packaging or product information so you can identify its source later.
- When the source cannot be verified, do not use the viewer for direct observation; switch to projection.
Inspect every viewer before use
Hold the filter up to a room light and look for tears, pinholes, scratches, creases that expose the filter, separation from its frame, or any other damage. Discard a viewer with a damaged filter rather than trying to tape or patch it. A viewer that has been stored poorly, sat in a hot vehicle, or lost its provenance should be treated cautiously even if it looks dark.
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- Solar eclipse glasses Approved 2024,Safe Solar Observation - These certified safe shades are designed for direct solar viewing. Our approved solar eclipse glasses are perfect for observing eclipses, sunspots, and planetary transits.
- Meets Industry Standards - Our CE and ISO certified safe shades for direct sun viewing are made while adhering to stringent safety and quality regulations set by the American Astronomical Society.
- A Comfy Fit - These certified sunglasses for eclipse are suitable for teens and adults. Featuring crease lines on both sides, these optical quality safe shades may be worn over prescription glasses.
- Filters Out Harmful Light - View eclipses safely with our paper glasses. Our solar viewers use solar safe filter technology, which helps shield your eyes from IR, UV, and 99.9999% of visible light.
- Excellent Value - Each pack contains 10 non-polarized solar eclipse glasses for viewing the sun. Share them with friends and loved ones so you can all enjoy viewing solar eclipses in complete safety.
Put the viewer on before facing the Sun
- Stand with your back to the Sun while putting on the glasses or positioning the handheld viewer.
- Cover your eyes completely and make sure the frame does not leave a gap that lets sunlight around the filter.
- Turn toward the Sun only after the viewer is in place.
- Look for as long as you wish during a non-total phase, but keep the filter in place continuously.
- Turn away from the Sun before removing the viewer.
Do not remove the filter for a quick glance, a photograph, or to check whether the eclipse has progressed. During totality of a total eclipse, you may remove it only after the bright face is fully covered; put it back on before totality ends.
Using a camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optics
The filter belongs on the front
Magnifying optics concentrate sunlight. A special-purpose solar filter must be secured over the front, objective end of the camera lens, telescope, binoculars, spotting scope, or similar instrument before the instrument is pointed at the Sun. It must remain attached for the entire observation.
Eclipse glasses worn over your eyes do not protect against unfiltered magnified sunlight. NASA warns: “Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.”
Check the setup before looking through it
- Obtain a solar filter specifically designed for the exact optical instrument.
- Confirm that the filter covers the full front aperture and cannot slide, fall off, or be blown away.
- Inspect the filter for scratches, holes, wrinkles, loose edges, and deterioration.
- Install it before aiming the instrument at the Sun; never attach a filter after the optics are already pointed sunward.
- Use the instrument only as described by the filter maker. If the fit, orientation, or safe-use instructions are unclear, ask an astronomy expert and do not look through the instrument until the question is resolved.
Filters placed at an eyepiece or behind the objective are unsafe for this use because concentrated sunlight can heat or destroy them before the observer notices a problem.
Rank #3
- Solar eclipse glasses Approved 2024, Safe Solar Observation - These certified safe shades are designed for direct solar viewing. Our solar eclipse glasses are perfect for observing eclipses, sunspots, and planetary transits.
- Meets Industry Standards - Our CE and ISO certified safe shades for direct sun viewing are made while adhering to stringent safety and quality regulations set by the American Astronomical Society.
- A Comfy Fit - These certified sunglasses for eclipse are suitable for teens and adults. Featuring crease lines on both sides, these optical quality safe shades may be worn over prescription glasses.
- Filters Out Harmful Light - View eclipses safely with our paper glasses. Our solar viewers use solar safe filter technology, which helps shield your eyes from IR, UV, and 99.9999% of visible light.
- Excellent Value - Each pack contains 10 non-polarized solar eclipse glasses for viewing the sun. Share them with friends and loved ones so you can all enjoy viewing solar eclipses in complete safety.
Indirect viewing when you have no verified viewer
Projection lets you observe the Sun’s shape without looking at the Sun itself. It is the appropriate fallback when you cannot establish that direct-viewing glasses or a handheld viewer are genuine and undamaged.
Make a simple pinhole projector
- Stand with the Sun behind you so you are looking toward the projected image, not toward the Sun.
- Make a small, clean hole in a piece of stiff card or paper.
- Hold the card so sunlight passes through the hole onto a second, shaded white surface.
- Watch the small projected disk on that surface as the eclipse progresses.
- Move the cards farther apart for a larger image, keeping the Sun behind you.
Never look through the pinhole. The hole is an optical opening for projecting light, not a viewing aperture.
Use everyday patterns as projectors
Small gaps between crossed fingers, the holes in a colander, or spaces between leaves can project many little images of the Sun onto the ground or a wall. Stand so the Sun is behind you and examine only the projected shapes. Do not use a camera, binocular, telescope, or other projecting optical device unless it has a proper front-mounted solar filter.
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Projection is indirect and suitable for watching the changing shape or for a group. It does not provide a view through an eyepiece, and it should not be combined with attempts to look through the hole or an unfiltered optical instrument.
Rank #4
- 2026 Total Solar Eclipse: The solar eclipse starting on August 12, 2026. This is an essential accessory for you to prepare for observation. It can produce a clear outline and image of the sun without causing any damage to the eyes. It can reduce ultraviolet, infrared and The hazards of strong light, so you can observe the upcoming total solar eclipse with confidence.
- Absolutely 100% quality assurance: Our solar eclipse glasses lenses are extremely excellent and have passed the rigorous testing conducted by the ICS laboratory of U.S. and have an ISO 12313-2 (2015) quality inspection report. Complying with international standards, it can protect your eyes during observation.
- Suitable for everyone: Our glasses are suitable for adults and children, easy to use and very safe. If you are a scientific practitioner, astronomy enthusiast, parent or person in charge of relevant institutions and organizations, these glasses are your best choice.
- Looking directly at the sun can be dangerous if proper precautions are not taken. Viewing the sun without a proper filter can cause permanent eye damage. Adequate eye protection designed specifically for viewing the sun is crucial and should be taken seriously.
- Strictly follow the instructions for use: Ensuring that there are no risks during the observation process requires our joint efforts with you. Please cooperate and watch this magnificent astronomical spectacle together, because once missed, the next one will be decades away, which is very rare.
A safe procedure for eclipse day
Before the event
- Determine whether your location will experience a partial, annular, or total eclipse; only totality of a total eclipse permits unaided viewing.
- Obtain direct viewers from a manufacturer and authorized seller that can be verified through the current AAS supplier list, or prepare an indirect projector.
- Inspect every viewer and front-mounted filter for damage before anyone uses it.
- Practice putting on and removing glasses while facing away from the Sun.
- If using optics, test that the front filter is the correct size and securely attached without pointing the instrument at the Sun during setup.
During a partial or annular eclipse
Use the direct viewer for every glance, or watch a projected image. Never substitute darkness, cloud cover, a camera screen, ordinary sunglasses, or the apparent thinness of the solar crescent for a filter.
During totality
Keep your viewer on while any bright photosphere is visible. Once totality is unmistakable and the bright face is completely covered, you may look briefly with unaided eyes. End unaided viewing before the first bright bead or crescent of sunlight returns, then continue with the viewer.
Supervise children
An adult should control when children face the Sun and verify that viewers remain correctly positioned. Children may remove glasses impulsively or point an unfiltered camera or binoculars skyward, so give them a projection activity when direct-viewing supervision is uncertain.
Can old eclipse glasses be reused?
Age alone does not establish safety, and an old label is not proof of compliance. AAS reuse guidance calls for all of the following: the viewer is less than 10 years old, the manufacturer’s products were tested by an appropriate accredited laboratory, and the filter remains undamaged. You still need to verify where the viewer came from. If its manufacturer cannot be identified, the seller is unknown, or the filter has any tear, scratch, hole, or other damage, discard it and use a verified replacement or projection.
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- TRUSTED BY MILLIONS - Soluna Glasses are made in the USA by NASA-approved manufacturer American Paper Optics, and are recognized as ISO-compliant by the American Astronomical Society. Join the millions of eclipse chasers that trusted Soluna Eclipse Glasses for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.
- CE AND ISO CERTIFIED FOR DIRECT SUN VIEWING - Our eclipse glasses have been independently tested and verified by ICS Laboratories under the most current standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E) for filters for direct observation of the sun. You can watch the total solar eclipse with absolute confidence in your eye safety.
- OPTIMIZED DESIGN - Soluna Glasses feature scratch-resistant Silver Polymer lens material with an optical density of 5 or greater. Our glasses filter 100% of harmful ultra-violet, 100% of harmful infrared, and 99.999% of intense visible light, offering both unparalleled safety and comfort for the best viewing experience.
- A COMFORTABLE FIT - These certified eclipse glasses are designed for teens and adults, featuring convenient crease lines on both sides for an easy, secure fit.
- 2026 EUROPEAN TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - Don’t miss the once-in-a-generation European Total Solar Eclipse on August 12th, 2026. Gather your family, friends and Soluna Glasses and prepare to be amazed as the moon passes in front of the sun, completely blocking it from view during Totality, which lasts but mere minutes.
Unsafe shortcuts and what to do instead
| Shortcut | Why it fails | Safe alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary or very dark sunglasses | Darkness does not establish that harmful solar radiation is blocked to the required level. | Use a verified solar viewer or indirect projection. |
| Two or more pairs of sunglasses | Stacking consumer lenses is not a tested solar-viewing method. | Use purpose-made eclipse glasses meeting the verification criteria. |
| Eclipse glasses over binoculars, a telescope, or a camera | Magnified rays can burn through the eye-level filter and cause serious injury. | Install a secure, instrument-specific filter over the front opening. |
| A filter taped over an eyepiece | The concentrated beam can heat or destroy a rear-mounted filter. | Use only a proper front-mounted solar filter. |
| A damaged or scratched viewer | Damage can expose the eye to unfiltered light. | Discard it; do not repair it. |
| Looking through a pinhole projector | The opening sends sunlight directly into the eye. | View the image projected onto a separate surface. |
What to do when something seems wrong
The viewer’s source cannot be confirmed
Stop direct viewing. Do not rely on a printed ISO number, an attractive package, or a seller’s unsupported assurance. Use the AAS supplier information to find a traceable source, or switch to projection.
The filter does not stay attached to an optical instrument
Do not look through the instrument. A loose front filter can fall away while the concentrated beam remains aimed at the observer. Obtain a correctly fitted filter or use a pinhole projector.
The filter is torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged
Discard it immediately. There is no safe field repair that restores a damaged solar filter to its tested condition.
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You are unsure whether totality has begun or ended
Keep the viewer on. Unaided viewing is optional and limited to the unmistakable interval when the Moon completely covers the bright solar face; uncertainty is a reason to continue using protection.
You have no equipment at all
Do not improvise eye protection. Stand with your back to the Sun and make a card projection, or use natural projections from finger gaps, a colander, or leaves.
A compact decision guide
- Is this a total eclipse, and is the Moon completely covering the bright face right now? If no, use protection. If yes, unaided viewing is permitted only for that brief total phase.
- Are you viewing with unaided eyes? Use verified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer except during totality.
- Are you using magnifying optics? Fit a special-purpose solar filter securely over the front before aiming at the Sun.
- Can you verify the viewer’s maker, seller, and condition? If no, do not use it for direct viewing; project the Sun instead.
- Is a child observing? Provide close adult supervision and consider projection for a group activity.
Sources for verification
NASA Science’s Eclipse Viewing Safety guidance establishes the phase rules, optical-equipment warning, inspection advice, child supervision, and projection method. The American Astronomical Society provides safe-viewing guidance, its supplier-verification list, and reuse criteria. Supplier listings and reseller information can change, so check the current AAS information before buying or reusing a viewer. Neither organization’s guidance turns an unidentified marketplace product or an uninspected filter into a verified device.
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