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Eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers protect your unaided eyes; solar filters protect cameras, binoculars and telescopes. They are not interchangeable. Wear a verified direct-view viewer whenever you look at a partial or annular eclipse, or during the partial phases surrounding totality. Put a purpose-built filter over the front opening of any optical equipment. The only time unaided eyes are safe is the brief totality phase of a total solar eclipse, after the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face.
The essential difference
The viewing method determines the protection you need. Eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers are made for looking at the Sun directly with unaided eyes. A camera, binoculars or telescope concentrates sunlight, so it requires a special-purpose solar filter designed for that equipment and secured over its front aperture.
| What you are doing | Required protection | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Looking at the Sun with unaided eyes | Safe eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer | These direct-view products are intended to reduce the Sun’s brightness for eye viewing. |
| Looking through a camera, binoculars or telescope | A filter made for that optical setup, mounted over the front aperture | Optics concentrate sunlight; an eye-level viewer does not protect against the concentrated beam. |
| Watching a total eclipse during totality | No filter only while the Moon completely covers the bright solar face | Naked-eye viewing is safe for that short phase alone. A viewer is required before and after it. |
Regular sunglasses are never a substitute for either type of solar protection, no matter how dark they look.
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Partial eclipses
A partial eclipse never reaches a stage in which the Moon completely hides the Sun’s bright face. Use safe eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer every time you look directly at it, from the first visible crescent through the last.
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- 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.
Annular eclipses
An annular eclipse also requires direct-view protection throughout. The Moon appears smaller than the Sun and leaves a bright ring, so there is no safe naked-eye phase.
Total eclipses
During a total eclipse, use a viewer for the partial phase before totality. Remove it only after the Moon has completely covered the bright face. Replace it before the bright face reappears; the first returning light is dangerous to view without protection.
Do not remove glasses merely because the Sun looks like a thin crescent. The safe interval is defined by complete coverage of the bright face, not by how dark the scene appears.
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ISO 12312-2 is a useful requirement, not a visual test
NASA describes safe solar viewers as “thousands of times darker” and says they ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. A package printed with an ISO claim, however, is not proof by itself that the product was tested or conforms.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) Solar Eclipse Task Force maintains a current list of manufacturers and authorized resellers whose viewer products it has confirmed were tested by appropriately accredited laboratories. Check that list when buying, because suppliers, products and marketplace listings can change. Treat a listing as a lead to verify, not as evidence that every item sold under a familiar name is safe.
Inspect every pair before use
Hold the viewer up to a normal indoor light and examine the entire viewing surface and frame. NASA advises discarding a viewer that is torn, scratched or otherwise damaged. Do not tape over a defect or continue using a scratched filter. Follow the product’s handling instructions, and supervise children while they use solar viewers.
What a front-aperture solar filter does
It belongs on the equipment, not at your eyes
A special-purpose solar filter for a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or another optical instrument is fitted to the front opening before sunlight enters the optics. This arrangement limits the light before the lenses or mirrors can concentrate it.
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Never look through a telescope, binoculars or a camera while wearing eclipse glasses or holding a handheld viewer in front of your eyes. NASA warns that concentrated solar rays can burn through that direct-view filter and cause severe injury. Its guidance states: “Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.”
Why an eyepiece filter is dangerous
A filter that threads onto the back, or eyepiece, end of a telescope is exposed to the concentrated beam after the instrument has gathered sunlight. AAS warns against this design. If a supplier proposes an eyepiece-end solar filter, do not use it.
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- 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.
What to verify when selecting an optical filter
ISO 12312-2 applies to direct-view solar viewers, not to solar filters for optical equipment. AAS says an optical filter may be considered safe when it meets the relevant requirements for transmittance, uniformity, and material and surface quality; is securely mounted over the front of the optics; and is used exactly as the supplier instructs.
Match the filter to the specific front aperture and instrument. A filter made for one lens or telescope may not fit another securely. The supplier’s fit instructions and a specialist astronomy retailer or experienced astronomer are more reliable than improvised material or a generic sheet.
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Reading product claims without being misled
A direct-view package can look convincing while still leaving important questions unanswered. “ISO” printed on a box, a dark appearance, a familiar brand name or a positive marketplace review does not independently establish laboratory testing. Use the current AAS supplier list to check the manufacturer or authorized seller, then compare the exact product and model with the listing. A seller’s presence on a list does not automatically validate every item in that seller’s catalog.
For an optical filter, look for a product specifically made for the instrument and aperture you own. Ask how it attaches, whether the entire opening is covered, and which use limitations the supplier gives. If the instructions are unclear, postpone the observation and ask an astronomer or specialist retailer rather than adapting household material.
Plan the viewing sequence before the eclipse
Decide in advance whether each person will watch with unaided eyes, a handheld viewer, a camera, binoculars or a telescope. A person changing from a camera to direct viewing must have a separate direct-view viewer ready; the camera filter does not protect eyes by itself. Conversely, glasses kept around the neck do nothing while someone is looking through an unfiltered instrument.
For a partial or annular eclipse, keep the direct-view protection available from beginning to end. For a total eclipse, put it on before looking during the opening partial phase, remove it only after complete coverage of the bright face, and replace it before any bright surface returns. Assign an adult to help children follow those transitions.
Choosing the right protection for your situation
| Situation | Correct action |
|---|---|
| Direct view of a partial eclipse | Wear verified eclipse glasses or use a verified handheld solar viewer for the entire observation. |
| Direct view of an annular eclipse | Keep a verified direct-view viewer on for the entire eclipse. |
| Direct view before or after totality | Use a direct-view viewer during both partial phases. |
| Direct view during totality | Remove the viewer only while the Moon completely obscures the bright solar face; put it back on before the face returns. |
| Camera, binoculars or telescope | Use a purpose-built solar filter that securely covers the front aperture; seek expert advice if the setup is unfamiliar. |
| No safe direct-view product | Use an indirect projection method, such as a pinhole projector, and look only at the projected image. |
Step-by-step: buying and using eclipse glasses
- Define the viewing method. Buy direct-view glasses or a handheld viewer only if you will look at the Sun without a camera, binoculars or telescope.
- Check the current AAS supplier list. Confirm that the manufacturer or authorized reseller appears on the list of products tested by appropriately accredited laboratories. Do not rely solely on an ISO statement printed on a package or marketplace page.
- Read the product instructions. Keep any use limitations, fitting directions and storage guidance supplied with the viewer.
- Inspect before each session. Reject anything torn, scratched or otherwise damaged. If a viewer is damaged during an event, stop using it rather than attempting a repair.
- Put the viewer over your eyes before facing the Sun. Keep it in place for every direct look during partial and annular eclipses and during the partial phases of a total eclipse.
- Handle totality deliberately. During a total eclipse, remove the viewer only after complete coverage of the bright face, then replace it before any bright surface reappears.
- Supervise children. Make sure a child keeps the viewer positioned correctly and does not switch to ordinary sunglasses or look through an optical device.
Step-by-step: setting up a camera, telescope or binoculars
- Identify the front aperture. Find the opening where light enters the lens or instrument. The filter must cover this opening, not the eyepiece.
- Buy the correct size and type. Use a special-purpose solar filter designed for the exact camera lens, binoculars or telescope. A direct-view viewer is not an equipment filter.
- Check the filter’s construction and instructions. Look for the supplier’s information about transmittance, uniformity, material and surface quality, along with fitting and use directions.
- Secure the filter before pointing at the Sun. It must remain firmly attached over the entire front aperture. If it can slip, fall off or leave a gap, do not use the setup.
- Inspect the filter and mount. Reject damaged material, loose retaining parts or any fit that does not match the supplier’s instructions.
- Keep direct-view glasses out of the optical path. Do not stack eclipse glasses behind the filter or use them as a backup at the eyepiece; the concentrated beam can damage them and your eyes.
- Ask an astronomer when uncertain. NASA recommends expert advice before using a solar filter with optical equipment, especially for an unfamiliar or modified setup.
Indirect projection when you have no safe viewer
If you do not have a verified direct-view viewer, do not improvise by staring through dark plastic, stacked sunglasses or household filters. NASA recommends indirect projection, such as a pinhole projector. Stand with the Sun behind you, allow the opening to cast the Sun’s image onto a surface, and look at that projected image. Never look through the pinhole or other opening toward the Sun.
Projection is an alternative to direct viewing, not a way to make an unfiltered telescope or binocular safe. Keep optical equipment out of the procedure unless it has a properly mounted, equipment-specific solar filter.
Common mistakes and the safe correction
Using ordinary sunglasses
Problem: Darkness does not indicate safe solar protection, and ordinary sunglasses are not designed for direct solar viewing.
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- 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.
Correction: Use a verified eclipse viewer or handheld solar viewer, or choose indirect projection.
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Problem: A printed ISO 12312-2 claim alone does not establish that a product was tested by an appropriately accredited laboratory.
Correction: Check the current AAS supplier list and follow the product instructions.
Putting eclipse glasses behind a telescope
Problem: The telescope or binoculars concentrate sunlight before it reaches the glasses. NASA warns that the concentrated rays can burn through the viewer.
Correction: Use a filter made for the instrument and secure it over the front aperture.
Using a filter on the eyepiece
Problem: An eyepiece-end filter sits in the concentrated beam and can fail dangerously.
Correction: Do not use it. Replace it with a front-aperture filter and obtain specialist guidance.
Removing protection too early during totality
Problem: A thin crescent or darkened surroundings do not mean totality has begun.
Correction: Remove a direct-view viewer only when the Moon completely covers the bright solar face, and replace it before that face returns.
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- 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.
Continuing to use a damaged viewer
Problem: Tears and scratches compromise the viewing surface.
Correction: Discard the viewer and use an undamaged, verified replacement.
A practical decision checklist
- Am I looking directly with unaided eyes? Choose a verified eclipse viewer.
- Is the eclipse partial or annular? Keep that viewer on for every direct look.
- Is it a total eclipse? Use the viewer before and after totality; remove it only during complete coverage.
- Am I using a camera, binoculars or telescope? Fit a purpose-built filter over the front aperture.
- Does the filter attach securely and match the instrument? If not, stop and obtain the correct model or expert advice.
- Does the direct-view product appear on the current AAS supplier list? If you cannot verify it, do not rely on it.
- Is any viewer or filter torn, scratched, loose or otherwise damaged? Discard or replace it.
- Do I have no safe viewer? Use projection with the Sun behind you and view only the projected image.
How the two product categories compare
| Characteristic | Eclipse glasses or handheld viewer | Front-aperture optical filter |
|---|---|---|
| Primary user | Someone looking at the Sun with unaided eyes | Someone using a camera, binoculars, telescope or similar optics |
| Where it is placed | In front of the eyes | Over the front opening of the instrument |
| Relevant safety reference | ISO 12312-2 is the direct-view standard NASA says safe viewers ought to comply with | ISO 12312-2 does not apply; AAS describes requirements for transmittance, uniformity, material and surface quality |
| Verification step | Check the current AAS list of products confirmed tested by accredited laboratories | Confirm the specialist supplier’s specifications, secure front mounting and exact fit |
| Unsafe substitute | Regular sunglasses or an unverified viewer | Direct-view glasses, handheld viewers or an eyepiece-end filter |
Frequently asked questions
Can I use eclipse glasses with binoculars?
No. Eclipse glasses are for unaided direct viewing. Binoculars concentrate sunlight and need a special-purpose filter securely mounted over their front openings.
Can I put a solar filter on the telescope eyepiece?
No. AAS warns that eyepiece-end filters sit in the concentrated beam and can fail. Use a filter designed to cover the telescope’s front aperture.
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Are very dark sunglasses safe for an eclipse?
No. Ordinary sunglasses are not solar viewers, regardless of how dark they appear. Use a verified direct-view viewer or indirect projection.
Is an ISO 12312-2 label enough?
No. NASA recommends the standard, but AAS explains that a printed claim alone does not prove testing or conformity. Check the current AAS list of confirmed manufacturers and authorized resellers.
When can I remove glasses during a total eclipse?
Only after the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face. Put them back on before any bright face reappears. Partial phases always require protection.
What if my glasses have a small scratch?
Discard them. NASA advises replacing viewers that are torn, scratched or otherwise damaged; do not tape over defects or keep using them.
How can children view safely?
Supervise them directly, ensure the viewer remains positioned correctly and prevent them from switching to ordinary sunglasses or looking through optical equipment.
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- 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.
What can I do without a safe viewer?
Use indirect projection with the Sun behind you and view only the projected image. Never look through the pinhole or an unfiltered optical instrument.
What to remember at the event
Plan the protection around the equipment you will actually use. Carry a verified direct-view viewer for unaided observations and inspect it immediately before the event. If you bring a camera, binoculars or telescope, install and test the matching front-aperture filter before pointing the instrument at the Sun. During a total eclipse, coordinate the timing of removing and replacing direct-view protection with the Moon’s complete coverage and reappearance of the bright face.
The distinction is simple but critical: glasses protect eyes looking directly at the Sun; front-mounted filters protect optics and the eyes behind them. Treating one as the other creates the very concentration hazard the protection is meant to prevent.
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Are eclipse glasses and solar filters the same thing?
No. Eclipse glasses and handheld viewers are for unaided eyes. A camera, binoculars or telescope needs a special-purpose filter secured over its front aperture.
Do partial and annular eclipses ever become safe to view without protection?
No. Neither has a phase when the bright solar face is completely blocked, so use a safe direct-view viewer throughout.
Can I trust a marketplace listing that says ISO 12312-2?
Not by that claim alone. Check the current American Astronomical Society supplier list and verify the manufacturer or authorized reseller and exact product.
Why must a telescope filter go on the front?
The front position limits sunlight before the optics concentrate it. An eyepiece-end filter receives the concentrated beam and can fail dangerously.
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What should I do if a viewer is damaged during the eclipse?
Stop using it and discard it. Replace any viewer that is torn, scratched or otherwise damaged.
Is naked-eye viewing ever safe?
Only during the brief totality phase of a total solar eclipse, after the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face. Use protection before and after.
The Bottom Line
Use the protection that matches the viewing method: verified eclipse glasses or a handheld viewer for unaided eyes, and a securely mounted, equipment-specific filter over the front of every camera, binocular or telescope. Partial and annular eclipses require protection throughout; remove direct-view protection during a total eclipse only while the bright face is completely covered.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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