The Tool Desk
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If you cannot verify a direct-viewing filter, use an indirect pinhole or projection method with your back to the Sun. The only unaided-eye exception is the brief totality of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face. Protection is required again before totality ends.
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Choose the safe method before you look up
Your method depends on three questions: Is the eclipse partial, annular, or total? Are you viewing with unaided eyes or magnifying optics? Do you have a verified, undamaged solar viewer or filter?
| Method | Best fit | Non-negotiable safety conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer | Direct, naked-eye viewing | Designed for direct Sun observation, made by a verifiable manufacturer and seller, and free of tears, scratches, or other damage. Never use this method behind a camera, telescope, or binocular. |
| Front-mounted solar filter | Camera, telescope, binoculars, spotting scope, or other optical equipment | Use a special-purpose filter secured over the front of the instrument before it is pointed at the Sun. Ask an astronomy expert if the filter’s design or fit is uncertain. |
| Pinhole or other projection | No verified direct viewer; safe group demonstrations | Keep the Sun behind you, project its image onto a surface, and 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. Put protection back on as soon as any bright portion returns. |
Darkness, cloud cover, or how much of the Sun appears covered does not make direct viewing safe. A thin visible crescent during a partial or annular eclipse is still intensely bright.
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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.
Know which eclipse phase you are watching
Partial eclipses
In a partial eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun. At every stage, some bright solar surface is visible, so direct viewing requires a purpose-made solar viewer. The scene may look dimmer than an ordinary day, but your eyes can still receive hazardous concentrated light.
Annular eclipses
An annular eclipse leaves a bright ring of sunlight around the Moon. It never reaches totality: the ring remains visible throughout the event. Use a suitable solar viewer for every phase, including the maximum coverage.
Total eclipses and the short total phase
A total solar eclipse has a brief interval when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face. Only during that totality may you remove a direct viewer and look with unaided eyes. The safe interval begins only after the last bright photospheric sunlight disappears and ends before the first bright edge returns. Use a viewer during the partial phases before and after totality. Do not rely on an approximate schedule, a darkened landscape, or a moment when the Sun merely appears almost covered.
Selecting eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer
Look for the correct purpose and standard
Choose glasses or a handheld viewer explicitly designed for direct observation of the Sun and marked as conforming to ISO 12312-2. The standard designation is an important requirement, but a printed claim by itself is not proof that a particular item is safe or genuinely tested.
Verify the maker and seller
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) maintains a supplier list intended to help people identify solar-viewing product makers and authorized sellers. Check the current list rather than trusting an old package, an unaudited marketplace listing, or a seller’s wording alone. NASA says it does not approve any particular brand of solar viewers. That means a NASA reference, a dramatic “NASA approved” claim, or a logo on a listing is not a certification.
When a product is not traceable to a manufacturer and seller that can be checked through current AAS guidance, choose indirect projection instead. A label that says “ISO” without credible provenance is not enough.
Inspect every viewer before use
- Hold the filter up to a normal indoor light and look for tears, pinholes, scratches, wrinkles that expose the filter layer, or separation from its frame.
- Check that cardboard, plastic, and retaining parts are firmly attached and that no edge lets unfiltered light reach your eyes.
- Discard a viewer with any damage. Do not repair it with tape, household film, or another material.
- Do not assume an old pair is safe merely because its label looks official. AAS reuse advice includes the viewer being less than 10 years old, the manufacturer’s products having appropriate accredited laboratory testing, and the filters remaining undamaged; verify the product’s provenance and condition before reuse.
Do not judge a viewer by how dark it looks when held indoors. Safe solar viewers are designed to reduce the Sun to a level suitable for direct observation; ordinary sunglasses are not engineered for that purpose.
Rank #2
- 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.
Using a camera, telescope, binocular, or other optical device
Magnifying optics concentrate sunlight. Put a special-purpose solar filter over the front aperture of the camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or other instrument before aiming it at the Sun. The filter must be designed for that equipment and secured so wind, handling, or a loose fit cannot expose the unfiltered aperture.
Eclipse glasses worn over your eyes do not protect you from an unfiltered camera, telescope, or binocular. 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.” The filter belongs at the instrument’s front, where it limits the light before concentration occurs.
Before attaching an optical filter
- Identify the exact instrument and its front opening, including any removable hood or adapter.
- Use a solar filter made for that aperture and optical design; do not improvise with photographic neutral-density filters, exposed film, smoked glass, or material intended only for viewing by eye.
- Fit the filter over the front and secure it according to its instructions. Confirm that no gap allows sunlight around the mount.
- Inspect the filter surface for damage before each session.
- Keep the optical device capped or pointed away from the Sun until the filter is installed and secured.
- If you cannot establish that the filter is appropriate and secure, do not use the instrument; ask an astronomy expert and use projection instead.
Indirect viewing when no direct viewer is available
Projection lets you see an image of the Sun without putting your eyes in the beam. It is useful for a group, for children under supervision, or whenever you cannot verify a direct-viewing product.
Make a simple pinhole projector
- Stand with the Sun behind you so that sunlight travels from behind your head toward the projection surface.
- Make a small, clean round hole in a piece of stiff card or paper.
- Hold the card so sunlight passes through the hole and falls on a second light-colored surface a short distance away.
- Look at the projected circle or crescent on the surface, not at the Sun and not through the hole.
- Move the cards farther apart for a larger image or closer together for a brighter, smaller image.
The projected shape changes as the eclipse progresses. Never use a pinhole projector as a viewing tube, and never look through binoculars, a telescope, or a camera that is being used to project an image.
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Use natural or household patterns
Small gaps between your fingers, the holes in a colander, or spaces between leafy branches can project multiple images of the Sun onto the ground or another surface. Keep the Sun behind you and watch the projected images. These methods show the Sun indirectly; they do not make it safe to stare at the Sun through the gaps.
A safe eclipse-day procedure
- Confirm the event type. Check whether your location experiences a partial, annular, or total eclipse. Do not assume that an eclipse described as “total” is total from every location.
- Choose one viewing method. Use verified direct-viewing glasses or a handheld viewer, a properly front-filtered optical instrument, or projection.
- Check the equipment in advance. Verify the manufacturer and seller through current AAS supplier guidance, inspect filters, and practice fitting any front-mounted optical filter in daylight without pointing at the Sun.
- Supervise the viewing area. Tell everyone which surface or viewer to use and keep unfiltered cameras and optical instruments out of reach.
- Use protection during all non-total phases. For a partial or annular eclipse, this means the entire event. For a total eclipse, keep the viewer on until totality begins and replace it before totality ends.
- Stop if anything changes. If a viewer tears, shifts, or becomes scratched, discard it and switch to projection.
Children, groups, and reused viewers
Children need active supervision because they may remove glasses, look around a frame, or point an unfiltered device at the Sun. Give each child a clear instruction: look only through the approved viewer or at the projected image, and never through a pinhole or optical instrument.
For group events, projection is often easiest to control because everyone views one image on a surface. If distributing glasses, inspect each pair separately rather than assuming a sealed box contains no damaged units. Reuse only when the viewer’s age, laboratory-testing provenance, and undamaged condition meet the AAS criteria; an old label alone does not establish those facts.
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.
Unsafe shortcuts and why they fail
Ordinary sunglasses
Even very dark sunglasses are not solar viewers. They are designed for ordinary daylight, not the Sun’s direct disk, and darkness to your eyes is not a measurement of safe solar transmission.
Stacking sunglasses or adding household materials
Layering sunglasses, plastic sheets, photographic materials, smoked glass, or other improvised filters does not create a tested solar-viewing system. It can also give a false sense of security while allowing damaging wavelengths or concentrated light through.
Glasses behind binoculars or a telescope
Eye-worn eclipse glasses are not a filter for concentrated rays leaving magnifying optics. The solar filter must be secured over the instrument’s front opening.
Looking during an annular “ring of fire”
The bright ring in an annular eclipse is still direct sunlight. Because annular eclipses have no totality, never remove the viewer.
Trusting a marketplace listing or a dark appearance
Online photographs, a seller’s unverified ISO statement, and an unusually dark indoor appearance do not demonstrate compliance. Verify the source through current AAS supplier information and inspect the physical filter.
How to tell whether a viewer is genuinely traceable
Use a short verification checklist before buying or borrowing:
- Is the item clearly described as a solar viewer for direct Sun observation?
- Does the packaging identify a manufacturer rather than only a generic product name?
- Can the manufacturer and seller be checked against the current AAS supplier guidance?
- Does the documentation identify ISO 12312-2 without presenting the label as the sole evidence?
- Is the actual filter free of tears, scratches, pinholes, and loose edges?
- If reused, is it less than 10 years old and supported by the testing and provenance information AAS says to consider?
If any answer is no or cannot be established, do not use the viewer for direct observation. Select a different verifiable viewer or use projection.
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- 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.
Buying, borrowing, and comparing viewing options
The useful comparison is not which product looks darkest or costs least. Compare direct viewing with indirect projection, unaided eyes with magnifying optics, and verified equipment with equipment of uncertain origin. Solar eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers serve the direct, naked-eye use case; a front-mounted filter is a separate product category for each optical instrument; projection requires no direct-viewing filter at all.
When purchasing, choose a manufacturer and authorized reseller identified through the current AAS supplier list. NASA’s statement that it does not approve any particular brand means that no seller can turn a NASA mention into an endorsement. A marketplace listing, even one carrying an ISO 12312-2 claim, is not sufficient evidence on its own. If you borrow glasses, ask who made and sold them, when they were obtained, and how they were stored, then inspect each filter yourself.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallDo not buy a front-mounted filter until you know the instrument’s exact aperture and the filter’s attachment method. A filter that fits one telescope, binocular, or camera may not fit another. Follow the maker’s safe-use instructions, and get advice from an astronomy expert when the fit, material, or documentation is unclear.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why totality requires careful timing
Totality is a condition, not simply a dark-looking moment. During a total eclipse, the Moon must completely cover the Sun’s bright face at your exact location. The partial phases on either side can last much longer, and the bright edge returns without warning if you are focused on the landscape or a camera screen. Keep the viewer on until totality is unmistakable and put it back on before the first bright portion appears. If you are unsure whether totality has begun or ended, continue using protection.
Solar observation outside an eclipse
The same rules apply whenever you observe the Sun: direct viewing requires a purpose-made solar viewer, and every camera or telescope requires a suitable filter mounted over its front. An eclipse does not make the Sun more dangerous than usual; it makes people more likely to look at it for longer. Treat ordinary solar observation with the same preparation and equipment discipline.
What to do when conditions are uncertain
Uncertainty is a reason to change methods, not to test a viewer by staring through it. Keep the Sun behind you and use projection if you cannot verify a product, identify the correct optical filter, determine whether your location reaches totality, or confirm that a reused viewer meets the AAS criteria. For specialized instruments or unfamiliar filters, consult an astronomy expert before use.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I safely view a solar eclipse?
For a partial or annular eclipse, use purpose-made eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer from a verifiable manufacturer and seller for every direct look. During a total eclipse, use protection before and after the brief total phase. You can always use a pinhole or surface projection with your back to the Sun.
Best Value
- 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.
Can I use ordinary sunglasses if they are very dark?
No. Ordinary sunglasses are designed for daylight, not direct solar observation. Darkness to your eyes is not a safety test, and stacking sunglasses or adding household materials does not create a tested solar filter.
When is it safe to look at a total eclipse without glasses?
Only during totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face at your location. Put the viewer back on before the first bright edge returns. Partial and annular eclipses never have a safe unaided-eye phase.
How can you tell if your eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers are safe?
Check that they are made for direct solar viewing, identify the manufacturer and seller, and verify them through current American Astronomical Society supplier guidance. ISO 12312-2 should be documented, but a printed claim alone is not proof. Inspect for tears, scratches, pinholes, loose edges, or other damage.
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No. Magnifying optics concentrate sunlight and can burn through an eye-worn filter. Use a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front aperture of the camera, telescope, binocular, or other instrument before pointing it at the Sun.
What if I have no eclipse glasses?
Use indirect projection. Stand with the Sun behind you, pass sunlight through a small hole in card, and view the image on a second surface. You may also watch projections made by finger gaps, a colander, or leafy branches. Never look through the hole or through projecting optics.
Can I reuse old solar viewers?
Only after checking their provenance and condition. AAS reuse advice includes being less than 10 years old, appropriate accredited laboratory testing of the manufacturer’s products, and undamaged filters. An old label by itself does not establish safety.
Does NASA approve a particular brand of solar viewers?
No. NASA Science states, “NASA does not approve any particular brand of solar viewers.” Use current AAS supplier guidance to verify a manufacturer and authorized seller instead of relying on a NASA logo or marketplace wording.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIs a dark indoor appearance proof that a viewer is safe?
No. Visual darkness indoors does not demonstrate the filter’s solar transmission or testing. Use purpose, traceable provenance, documented standard information, and a careful damage inspection instead.
Can clouds make direct viewing safe?
No. Cloud cover and a dim landscape do not establish safe solar transmission. Continue using the appropriate viewer during every non-total phase, or choose projection.
The Bottom Line
Remember the three rules: use verified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer for direct viewing, use a purpose-made filter over the front of any camera or telescope, and use projection when you cannot verify equipment. Only totality of a total eclipse permits unaided viewing, and only while the bright solar face is completely covered. Ordinary sunglasses, damaged viewers, marketplace claims, and eye-worn glasses behind optics are not safe substitutes.
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