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Heading to Europe or the U.K. for the Aug. 12 solar eclipse? Best eclipse glasses to buy before you leave — or after you arrive
Eclipse glasses are essential for safely observing an eclipse without risking your vision. They will serve you well whether you are observing totality or a partial eclipse.
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The Aug. 12 total solar eclipse is nearly here, and if you’re hoping to observe totality, you will likely be heading to Greenland, Iceland, or Spain. The UK gets a solid 90% show, while the US only catches a small partial solar eclipse.
Wherever you're watching it from, do not look directly at the sun without ISO 12312-2 certified solar eclipse glasses — standard sunglasses aren't safe and won't save your retina.
Not sure which to buy? We’ve rounded up legitimate, safe options that you can order right now from the US, UK, and European retailers, so you can stay safe and enjoy the eclipse whether you're staying put, about to travel, or already abroad.
Below are our recommended options to buy safe solar eclipse glasses if you're already traveling abroad to see totality.
If you're planning on having an eclipse party, these solar eclipse glasses from Helioclipse will have you covered with packs of 6 / 12 / 25 / 50 and 100 available. They are fully ISO 12312-2 compliant and come with smartphone filters for taking photos of the eclipse.
Save 31% on this five pack of solar eclipse glasses from Medical King. They are ISO 12312-2 certified and the glasses can be cut into filters for your smartphone camera to grab a photo of the eclipse.
Lunt Solar Systems are a well trusted brand in the area of solar observation, we gave their Lunt 8x32 sunoculars five stars.
Grab a five pack of their American Astronomical Society (AAS) certified and ISO 12312-2 compliant solar eclipse glasses.