What to do with your eclipse glasses (seriously)

[monkeylizard]

If you're not keeping yours as a souvenir or to reuse for the 2024 eclipse, Astronomers Without Borders will be collecting them to redistribute to people in Africa and South America for their upcoming eclipses. As long as they aren't scratched or damaged they can be reused. Keep a watch on this page for more details as they become available.

https://astronomerswithoutborders.org/

FYI - The warning on some glasses about discarding them after 3 years is out of date if yours are ISO 12312-2 compliant. That 3-year thing was part of the old ISO standard which was replaced in 2015. Some manufacturers still printed it on their glasses, but that's a bit like asking your barber if you need a haircut.

Don't believe me? NASA said it, not me. https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety Read the "Note:" paragraph just below the map of the USA.

[Wingshooter]

Good to know.

 

That was so cool, I've almost thought about becoming an eclipse chaser though. 

[jhc77]

My local optometrist is collecting them too for the same reasons. 

[Dolomite_supafly]

If they block the sun I wonder how they would work for welding, specifically TIG. 

[gjohnsoniv]

20 minutes ago, Dolomite_supafly said:

If they block the sun I wonder how they would work for welding, specifically TIG. 

They would work I suppose, but you would have the world's goofiest case of coon eyes. 

 

Not to mention any "spill" for lack of a better description getting to you. 

Edited August 23, 2017 by gjohnsoniv

[Ronald_55]

They would work until the first splatter hits them and the film melts to your eye lid or the paper catches on fire.

[peejman]

Their high darkness would exacerbate the durability and sun tan issues.  You'd have to get really close to see what you're doing. 

[Sam1]

19 hours ago, Wingshooter said:

That was so cool, I've almost thought about becoming an eclipse chaser though. 

Me too, except NASA has the best videos so all I have to do is chase down a recent web link  

[monkeylizard]

20 hours ago, Wingshooter said:

That was so cool, I've almost thought about becoming an eclipse chaser though. 

I'm already making plans for 2024, and hoping I'm still alive for 2045.

Once they're back in stock and at normal prices, I think I'll pick up some Celestron EclipSmart binoculars. Even without an eclipse, they'd be good for looking for sun spots and maybe catching a glimpse at a big solar flare around the edge.

Edited August 23, 2017 by monkeylizard

[monkeylizard]

@Wingshooter Check out https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html?starty=2020

That shows every upcoming eclipse and its path. The April 2023 one might make a good excuse to finally go to Australia! It's only about a minute duration at the centerline though.