demand for solar eclipse glasses With Canadian astronomy and ophthalmology experts warning that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous, a growing number of products are being sold to help safely view the rare celestial phenomenon.
Jenna Hynes, executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), said the organization sold 70,000 pairs from August 2023 to February 2024, with online inventory sold out in February. .
“The demand for this product is extraordinarily high,” Hines said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca. “The sooner you get solar glasses, the better.”
Robert Cockcroft, assistant professor in the department of physics and astronomy at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., and executive director of the Astronomical Society of Canada, said McMaster purchased 600,000 solar eclipse glasses in mid-December, the largest in Hamilton. It is said to be enough for all residents. About 500,000 have already been distributed for free, and the remaining spots are almost filled, he noted.
This rare celestial phenomenon will occur in parts of Canada, the United States, and Mexico on Monday, April 8th. Most of North America will experience at least a partial solar eclipse. During a total solar eclipse, temporary darkness, or the Moon’s 185-kilometer-wide shadow, covers the path of the Moon perfectly aligned between the Earth and the Sun.
The next total solar eclipse won’t occur in Canada until 2044. The last time Canada experienced a total solar eclipse was in 2008.
What is eclipse glass?
Elaina Hyde, director of York University’s Alan I. Carswell Observatory in Toronto, said eclipse viewing equipment, such as solar eclipse glasses, is a common way to view the phenomenon safely. She said the observatory provides them for free at events. She said these viewers or glasses must have her ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification according to ISO-12312-2, which indicates that they meet international safety requirements.
“The ISO safety rating basically means that only a small portion of the light gets into your eyes,” she said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca.
Astronomers say eclipse glasses are usually made of cardboard and have special filters that block virtually all light, including 100 percent of ultraviolet and infrared light and 99.9 percent of normal light. . Hyde emphasizes that regular sunglasses, tinted car roofs, welding glasses and other items that have not been rated as safe for viewing an eclipse are not safe to use.
“The sun is incredibly bright, which is why it can cause blindness,” she says. “Regular sunglasses on average block 10% of the light, which is 1,000 or thousands of times less light than you need.”
She said most parts of North America will only experience a partial solar eclipse, meaning there is no time when it is safe to look directly at the sun, as it can lead to partial or complete loss of vision. means.
Astronomy experts say it’s safe only if you observe it. solar eclipse During totality, when the moon completely covers the sun.
How much does it cost?
Prices for these glasses vary online, but many companies sell them in a similar price range, and if you order small quantities, they won’t cost much. Astronomy experts say the glasses are generally inexpensive, costing less than $10 per pair.
Mr Hyde warns people to beware of potential scammers selling counterfeit goods solar eclipse glasses. She recommends buyers go to reputable vendors who sell glasses and filters that have been verified by the American Astronomical Society.
“It shouldn’t cost a lot of money,” she said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca. “We distribute it in many places.”
Glasses with plastic frames, or glasses that claim to have a better design or use better materials to block out light, can cost more.
Amazon and other online retailers offer discounts on certain products, so buying in bulk can reduce the cost per item. Prices may be lower if you order from overseas marketplaces such as AliExpress. However, some oppose it, citing questions about quality and the risk of not delivering on time.
Hines recommends checking to see if a location in your city is giving it away for free. The glasses are sold out on RASC’s website, but her organization is holding a limited, cash-only sale at its national office in Toronto.
Adam Levy, president of Buffalo, New York-based Celestial Optical, said the company is marketing its eclipse glasses “very aggressively” because demand in Canada is “very high” right now. Ta.
In the past few weeks, he says his company has sold about 15,000 to 20,000 solar eclipse glasses per day on Amazon Canada. “Sales numbers are increasing almost every day,” Levy said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca. “As the day of the solar eclipse approaches, we expect it to become very crowded.”
Levy said Celestial Optical was formed to fill a gap in the Canadian market after a total solar eclipse occurred in some parts of the United States in 2017, but only a partial solar eclipse was visible in Canada. Ta.
Levy said his company, which sells products exclusively on Amazon in North America, has experienced major problems with counterfeit products using Celestial Optical’s name and designs. “There are a lot of competitors and we face a big problem with counterfeit products,” he said, noting that the genuine products are only sold under that name on Amazon.
Buying glasses last minute is “dangerous”
Sujatha Mati, owner of the Toronto-based online store Eclipse Glass Canada, said sales were quiet in January but spiked around February.
Matty is hoping to find a sponsor to donate $250 towards the purchase of 500 solar eclipse glasses that she plans to give away for free to healthcare workers and their families. She has set aside her 75,000 glasses for donation to hospitals, and sponsors can choose a hospital.
As the date of the total solar eclipse approaches, Matty says it’s best to order by March 20 to ensure Canada Post has enough time to deliver the glasses.
“People need to realize that if you want to get them, it’s a little bit risky to leave it until the last moment,” Matty said.
How to safely view the solar eclipse
Some astronomy experts and vendors believe that during a total solar eclipse, it is safe to observe the eclipse only when it is dark.
But Dr. Shaina Nenshi, a Toronto optometrist and vice-president of the Ontario Optometrists Association, says you should avoid looking at the sun without a solar filter or glasses, even during a totality when the moon is completely blocking it. .
“The most important thing to note with eclipse glasses is that when you look through them, you shouldn’t see anything through a real solar filter except the sun and light as bright as the sun,” Nenshi said. said in a telephone interview. CTVNews.ca.
“Even if you can see normal light through eclipse glasses or filters, they are unsafe and pose a high risk of eye damage.”
Buyers should check the solar filter or glass for damage and avoid using it if it is scratched or dented. People should not use binoculars without special filters on the lenses or take photos with cell phones or cameras, she added.
glasses for a good cause
Five high school students from Oakville, Ont., have teamed up to launch the Monarch Butterfly Eclipse Project. Students are selling CE and ISO certified solar eclipse glasses made of cardboard frames with a monarch butterfly design. The cheapest one is a 5-pack for $24.95.
Ellen Lentine, 16, said the idea started when she used a welded shield to watch a partial solar eclipse in Ontario in 2017 because she couldn’t find eclipse glasses.
Taylor Denton, 16, said she has been receiving about 200 orders a day since Christmas.
“It was quiet at first before Christmas, but once people started hearing that the eclipse was happening, it got really busy,” Denton said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca.
Lentine said all net proceeds will go toward protecting the habitat and population health of the endangered monarch butterfly, a major pollinator.
“We connected the two because the butterfly’s migration path mirrors the path of the solar eclipse,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca.
