Just a warning to anyone interested in the coming eclipse. Avoid the glasses sold at Canadian Tire. I just bought two pairs of eclipse glasses at Canadian Tire. I decided to test them right after I got outside and immediately noticed an issue. Both glasses have a hazy appearance around the sun.
With proper eclipse glasses the sun should appear crisp and not too bright. You should be able to distinctly see the edge of the sun and even see detail on the surface. There should be no haze of any kind. If you see any kind of haze, immediately take off the glasses and throw them out.
I knew the glasses from Canadian Tire were suspect because they had "NASA APPROVED" on the sides, which is why I bought them. I wanted to test them.
There is no such thing as "NASA APPROVED". NASA doesn't approve or certify anything. If you see that, it's a massive red flag.
One very good trusted source for where to buy eclipse glasses is the American Astronomical Society which has a list of trusted vendors. I myself bought a bulk quantity from solareyewear.ca and have tested the glasses to be working properly.
https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters
Unfortunately, there will be a massive amount of scams going around with eclipse glasses and shady people trying to make a quick buck. Don't risk it and make sure your glasses will protect your eyes.
If someone tries to convince you that their glasses are genuine because they have ISO-12312-2 printed on them, it doesn't matter. I could print that on a pair of toilet paper rolls taped together, but that doesn't mean it'll protect your eyes.
Here are some resources to check out:
https://aas.org/press/american-astronomical-society-warns-counterfeit-fake-eclipse-glasses
And to emphasize: it really is essential to use the proper glasses for an eclipse like this.
I experienced a total eclipse back in 1999. You’ll be looking at the sun for a few minutes. And even though it might look dark to you, it WILL do permanent damage if you stare at it for that long without the proper protection.
Back in 1999 in the Netherlands, seven people had to be treated for eye injuries because of the eclipse. Two suffered permanent damage, with only about 10 percent sight remaining.
Don’t fuck around. It’s not worth it.