The Great American Solar Eclipse is upon. Looking for the right glasses to wear to view the eclipse in action? It may be a bit difficult find a pair that is appropriate for this occasion. Many stores have already run out of eclipse viewing glasses, so you’ll have to improvise…
I imagine some people are searching through their home, looking for the proper set of specks to watch today’s special eclipse. If you came across welding glasses and a welding helmet, you might be wondering: Can I use this sh*t to watch the eclipse?
Solar Eclipse 2017: What Is A Solar Eclipse?
Misusing these glasses during an eclipse can be very dangerous for your eyes, so it’s best to follow NASA’s safety precautions to a T…
Looking to wear welding glasses or helmets to watch the eclipse? Well, here’s some words of advice from NASA…
Experts suggests that one widely available filter for safe solar viewing is welders glass of sufficiently high number. The only ones that are safe for direct viewing of the Sun with your eyes are those of Shade 12 or higher. These are much darker than the filters used for most kinds of welding. If you have an old welder’s helmet around the house and are thinking of using it to view the Sun, make sure you know the filter’s shade number. If it’s less than 12 (and it probably is), don’t even think about using it to look at the Sun. Many people find the Sun too bright even in a Shade 12 filter, and some find the Sun too dim in a Shade 14 filter — but Shade 13 filters are uncommon and can be hard to find.
According to 11Alive, an Atlanta television station, “Most welding glasses are not strong enough to keep your eyes safe, if you are watching the eclipse with them.”
It was reported, “NASA recommends only using the darkest shades, 12 or higher, to view the eclipse. All the hardware stores we talked to were sold out of shades as low as shade 4.”
The American Astronomical Society created a list of eye safety tips and welding glasses didn’t come up. Therefore, is it worth the risk?
NASA says that the risk involved is serious retinal damage to your eyes. Gotta protect those peepers, folks!
NASA is putting safety first and disapproved of any homemade eclipse viewing glasses. “The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as ‘eclipse glasses’ or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight.”
Looking for alternative ways to watch the eclipse? Here’s one method that NASA suggest, “An alternative method for safe viewing of the partially eclipsed sun is pinhole projection. For example, cross the outstretched, slightly open fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other, creating a waffle pattern. With your back to the sun, look at your hands’ shadow on the ground.”
Want to know other ways to watch the eclipse? Don’t worry, I got you!
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