Eclipse glasses that comply with the international standard for viewing carries the code ISO 12312-2.On April 8, a total solar eclipse will cover a large part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area in darkness. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, another total eclipse won’t be visible in Texas for hundreds of years, but watching the show in the sky requires preparation.
“It is dangerous to look directly at the sun without eye protection,” said Dr. Mary Urquhart a planetary scientist at UT Dallas. “Irreparable damage can happen as quickly as five seconds or less, so make sure that you are wearing eye protection.”“Glasses are required or some other solar filter with the right standard to be able to look directly at the sun anytime other than totality,” said Urquhart.
Make sure your glasses comply with the International Organization for Standardization, look for a note on the glasses that says it complies with ISO 12312-1.If you have glasses lying around from the annular eclipse in October 2023, be sure to inspect them for any damage. “Make sure you inspect them for scratches, see if they’re crumpled, wrinkled in any way. If they are, don’t use them,” said Urquhart.Urquhart suggests storing them flat in an envelope where they won’t get scratched and be sure to keep them away from extreme temperature changes.“You have to use indirect viewing methods.