Solar eclipse glasses are flying off shelves
Here’s where you can grab a pair before April 8
There aren’t many days when millions of Canadians can all gather to collectively look at the sky, but April 8 will be one of them, when a rare total solar eclipse will pass over parts of southern Ontario and Quebec.
And even though Toronto won’t be in the “path of totality,” anyone planning to catch the partial eclipse in the GTA should still avoid staring directly at the sun without protection.
With school boards across Ontario cancelling classes and tourists rushing to Niagara for a prime viewing spot, here’s how to best see the solar eclipse in Toronto and how to protect your eyes in the process.
Where can I get solar eclipse glasses in Toronto?
The Toronto Public Library, in partnership with the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at U of T and with support from the Trottier Family Foundation, will be handing out nearly 30,000 free eclipse-viewing glasses later this month, according to Melanie Boatswain-Watson, a TPL spokesperson.
Warby Parker is also giving away free eclipse glasses at all its stores until April 1 while supplies last.
And University of Toronto students, staff and faculty can get eclipse glasses for free from Gerstein Science Information Centre and Robarts Library.
Jenna Hinds, executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, said eclipse glasses have been flying off their shelves, and despite an initial order of 50,000 pairs last June — and a top-up order of 25,000 — demand has been hard to meet.
“We probably could have ordered a couple hundred thousand, and still sold them all,” Hinds said.
The society has sold out completely online, but has limited supplies for sale from March 25 to 28 and April 1 to 5 at its national offices in Toronto (Unit 203, 489 College St.) for cash only. The offices are open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, according to Hinds.
Glasses can also be bought online or in-person at astronomy supply stores or hobby and craft stores, although Hinds recommends against buying glasses off Amazon, as they might not meet safety standards.
Just make sure whatever glasses you get meet the international ISO 12312-2 standard, which means they are meant for looking directly at the sun.
The American Astronomical Society has a list online of authorized dealers of eclipse glasses made in North America or Germany that meet the international standard, and Hinds said you should look for the “ISO” logo or the “CE” mark on glasses to make sure they’re certified.
Why do I need eclipse glasses?
A regular pair of sunglasses won’t cut it, Chou stressed — you would need a pair of sunglasses that are over 1,000 times darker to tolerate looking at the sun.
“You are literally putting a blindfold on your eyes when you put these things on, so you do not walk around with them, you do not drive in them,” Chou warned.
When in the path of totality, you can look at the sun without solar eclipse glasses for a short period. But in places like Toronto, just outside the path, you will need to use eclipse glasses the entire time, Chou said.
How to know if your eclipse glasses work?
There’s no surefire way to test your eclipse glasses, Hinds said, but they should block out almost all light except for the sun or maybe a strong reflection of the sun off glass.
If you’re seeing artificial lights or lamps, your glasses probably aren’t strong enough and you could end up temporarily or permanently blinding yourself, Hinds explained.
During the 2017 total solar eclipse, counterfeit and unsafe glasses appeared on Amazon, warned Discover the Universe, an astronomy training program offered by Canadian astronomers.
How to use eclipse glasses?
When using eclipse glasses, be cautious when putting them on and taking them off, Hinds warned.
“Put (the glasses) on your face first and then look at the sun. And then, when you’re done looking at sun, look down and then take them off.”
There are also eclipse glasses that come in the form of cards, like opera-style glasses. They work the same way as the eclipse glasses, you just need to make sure your eyes are covered.
Before the big day, make sure your glasses don’t have any punctures or scratches that might weaken the filter and let light through, Hinds added.
What can I use instead of solar eclipse glasses?
Not able to score glasses before the big day? A pinhole camera can work, too, as an indirect way of viewing the eclipse at home, using household materials like cardboard. Instructions can be found at jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn.
A pinhole camera creates a small projection image of the eclipse without having to look directly at the sun, Chou said. The same effect can be achieved by pointing binoculars or a telescope at the sun to shine an image onto a wall or a piece of paper.
The Toronto Public Library has classes, in partnership with the Dunlap Institute, on how to make a pinhole camera.