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2024-11-11

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Fake eclipse glasses are hitting the market. Here’s how to tell if you have a pair (www.cnn.com)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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As the total solar eclipse, occurring across Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8, draws near, experts are reminding spectators to grab a pair of eclipse glasses to view the celestial event safely — and to make sure they aren’t fake.

Counterfeit eclipse glasses are “polluting the marketplace,” according to a release shared by the American Astronomical Society, or AAS.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s face from view for a few moments. About 32 million people in the US live within the 115-mile-wide (185-kilometer-wide) path of totality, or locations where the moon will appear to completely cover the sun and the lunar shadow falls on the Earth’s surface. People outside the path of totality will still be able to see a partial solar eclipse in which the moon only blocks part of the sun’s face.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago (1 children)

A ton of people live in the path of totality. Like double the 2017 eclipse. 30 million or something? Plus it's within a few hours of massive population centers. So there's plenty of people who should be aware of this issue.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

And those who are only just now learning and trying to get glasses are probably going to find a shortage.

I bought my glasses 11 months ago when I made my plane and hotel reservations. Last minute people are gonna get fucked by these asshole scam artists.

But the main point of my original post is that if you miss this one, we have 2 whole ass decades before the next, so be aware.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Not afaict.. I imagine the profit margins on these things are enormous and they are super easy to manufacture. If anything I think there's going to be a huge surplus of them.