Eclipse Eye Safety

A group of middle school students look at the sky wearing eclipse glasses.

How can you safely view a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses are beautiful to behold—but safety comes first! Looking directly at the Sun can cause permanent damage to your vision. It is also possible to damage your eyes without noticing right away. Even when the Sun’s light is 99% covered by the Moon, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun.

There are a few ways you can observe a solar eclipse while also protecting your eyes.

One option is to purchase a pair of eclipse glasses or solar viewers. Be sure to find ones that comply with international regulations for eye safety (ISO 12312-2).

Alternatively, you can view eclipses indirectly using a pinhole projector or cereal box viewer:

Explore more space science

Check out our videos to learn more about solar eclipses, including what causes this fascinating phenomena.

Photo credit: Courtesy Mark Margolis/Rainbow Symphony