Price of NASA-approved solar eclipse glasses soars on Amazon Canada
The price of solar eclipse glasses on Amazon Canada has jumped to new heights as millions of Canadians gear up to witness the celestial event on April 8.
The Canadian Encyclopedia says Canada won’t see another event like this until August 23, 2044. That’s when skygazers in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut will be able to see it again.
Those hoping to look up at the sky on Monday are advised to exercise caution. The most significant step you can take is to invest in some safe solar eclipse viewing equipment.
According to NASA, when the moon entirely blocks the sun (except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse), looking directly at the sun without specialized eye protection built for solar viewing is unsafe. Unsafe viewing can cause serious eye injury and even blindness.
There is a specific list of sellers the space agency recommends, some of whom are available on Amazon Canada. However, the recent heightened demand for these glasses has caused their prices to shoot up drastically.
Daily Hive looked at the prices of some of the best-selling NASA-approved solar eclipse glasses on the website using ca.camelcamelcamel.com, a tracker that provides price history charts for products sold on Amazon Canada.
Here’s what we found:
Soluna solar eclipse glasses
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In early February, a two-pack of NASA-recommended Soluna brand solar viewing glasses was only $10.99. It exceeded $29.99 around mid-February and stayed that way through early March.
Currently, you can buy two pairs for $19.99. According to Amazon, more than 100,000 people purchased the product in the past month.
Medical King solar eclipse glasses
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If you bought a two-pack of Medical King solar glasses on March 25, you would’ve paid just $8.73. The product now retails for $18.99.
Amazon Canada says over 50,000 customers bought these NASA-recommended glasses over the past month.
Galaxium solar eclipse glasses
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A pack of six NASA-approved Galaxium solar glasses retailed for a whopping $49.95 in March, but after stagnating around the $25 to 30 mark for a while, it has now dipped to $19.95.
Over 10,000 people bought the product in the past month.
Celestial Optical solar eclipse glasses
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Celestial Optical is on NASA’s list of trusted brands and was bought over 5,000 times last month on Amazon Canada.
A 12-pack of Celestial Optical glasses cost around $25 in February, dipping to $14.73 at the beginning of March and then soaring to $35.95.
In April, the price of this product has fallen to $27.95.
Helioclipse solar eclipse glasses
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When this article was published, a six-pack of Helioclipse glasses retailed for $37.95.
As of April 1, these NASA-recommended eclipse shades retailed for $27.95, up from $17.95.
Through the last week of March and much of April, the price was $31.95.
Safety guidelines
No matter what you choose to buy, make sure you are following NASA’s safety guidelines.
Inspect your glasses or handheld viewer carefully, and trash the device if it is scratched or damaged in any other way.
Do not let children use the glasses on April 8 without adult supervision.
Even using eclipse glasses, never look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or other optic device; concentrated sun rays could seriously damage your eyes.
No solar glasses? No problem
You can make do without the fancy stuff, but you must be smart. The American Astronomical Society has a guide on indirect viewing methods.
NASA recommends using a pinhole projector and has an easy tutorial on building one. If you have kids, this will make for a fun activity.
A pinhole projector is supposed to have a tiny opening; you can punch one yourself. It projects an image of the sun onto a nearby surface.
“With the sun at your back, you can then safely view the projected image,” says NASA.
It warns to NEVER look at the sun through the pinhole.
Good luck, and be safe!
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