Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

Lifestyle News

Here’s How To Make Sure Your 2024 Solar Eclipse Glasses Are Authentic And Safe

Author Phil Harris
Penny Farster-Narlesky of Denver, Colorado tests her solar eclipse glasses at a roadside information center in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park in 2017. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

Are you planning to see the solar eclipse on April 8th? My family drove down to Columbia, South Carolina to get a look at the last one in 2017. This year’s optimal viewing locations for the path of totality are a bit farther to the west and north. The best cities for seeing it include San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Little Rock, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Dayton, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, and Montreal. If you decide to go to one of those places, just make sure you have the right glasses.

The American Astronomical Society is warning people about a proliferation of bogus solar eclipse viewing glasses ahead of April 8th’s totality. Millions of people will be flocking to the eclipse’s path to view the rare event but some of them could also be putting their eyes in harm’s way.

Rick Fienberg, Project Manager of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force and a veteran of 14 total solar eclipses, says, “Solar filters are at least 1,000 times darker than even the darkest regular sunglasses.” Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to see if your eclipse eye wear is the genuine article. You can start by checking if the manufacturer or retailer of your glasses is approved by the American Astronomical Society. Then you should literally give them the “eye test.”

To make sure your solar eclipse glasses are the real deal, try them on inside. You shouldn’t be able to see anything except for maybe very bright lights. They should appear faint. Then wear the glasses outside on a sunny day. The glasses should still block out everything except the sun’s weak reflection off a glossy surface, like the hood of your car. If you’re seeing more than that, using those glasses to look at the sun could be dangerous. For more eclipse safety tips, click on the link below.

Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.

7 Severe Weather Safety Tips That May Save Your Life

Nobody likes dealing with severe weather. But, it’s part of life. Depending on where you live in the United States, you might come up against hurricanes, tornados, severe thunderstorms, blizzards and more. I’ve certainly had my fair share of severe weather events. Probably my most vivid memory was being in an ice storm, which knocked power out for about a week where I lived, including during Christmas. It was freezing cold, so my family and I had to go to a hotel that was out of town. Needless to say, our Christmas plans were totally different that year. So, what are some severe weather safety tips that may safe your life?

Before we get to the main tips, let’s get through some basics. Stay informed when a severe weather event is approaching. It’s simple but important. You don’t want to be caught off guard when bad weather strikes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service both have information that they provide leading up to and during a severe weather event. So, make sure to get the latest information in the case of any weather emergency. Local meteorologists also have good information, but the main alerts come from the National Weather Service.

Another mistake some people make is not taking “watches” seriously. For example, you might see that there’s a severe thunderstorm watch in your area and think, oh, it’s just a watch, I can go out for a walk. Don’t do it. “A watch is used when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain,” the National Weather Service explains. We’ll get more into the specifics of a watch, warning and advisory later in this story.

Let’s get into some severe weather safety tips that may safe your life.

Get The K Files Newsletter Delivered Directly To Your Inbox

You'll be in the know on music and entertainment news, exclusive giveaways, and what's happening in right here in Charlotte.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Author Phil Harris
Category:
Tags:
,,

More K104.7

Load More