RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Even though August 12's solar eclipse won't be much to look at for observers in the U.S., it'll be even less impressive if you can't look at it at all. In order to see the partial phases, you MUST wear a pair of certified solar glasses or solar binoculars to view the sun safely.
The American Astronomical Society states, "ISO 12312-2 specifies the properties that a solar viewer should have in order to protect your eyes from injury and provide a comfortable view."
With the eclipse fast approaching, there is still time to pick up some last-minute solar viewing equipment , but some retailers are already selling out and won't be able to deliver before Wednesday, August 12.
Here are the best options you can still get hold of before the solar eclipse.
This 5-pack of solar eclipse glasses from Lunt is ideal for viewing parties, for the whole family to use or just to have spare pairs for future eclipses.
They're ISO 12312-2 certified and Prime members can get them on free next-day delivery. View Deal
This 2-pack of solar glasses from Soluna is super affordable, ISO 12312-2 certified and is even available for same-day delivery in some areas. View Deal
The Celestron EclipSmart 12x50 solar binoculars provide safe solar viewing with 12x magnification, and Prime members still have time to have them delivered before August 12.
But there's a rather large caveat here. Buying them mere days before a solar eclipse is arguably the worst possible time to purchase them, as this is when they're most expensive. For example, last October, they went down to $26.82. (Ah, capitalism).
So unless you plan on observing the sun all-year round, perhaps stick to the solar glasses for now and buy them in a few months when they're cheap so you're ready for the next one. View Deal
If you don't want to pay the inflated price for the solar binoculars, or you already have a pair of binoculars, these DayStar filters are a great option that fit on the front of the objective lenses to protect both your eyes and the lenses.
They come in various sizes, although they aren't suitable for objective lenses under 50mm.
While BHPhoto doesn't give exact shipping dates, you could still get them before the eclipse. View Deal
For the tech-nerds who want to take photos or a time-lapse of the eclipse, the Dwarf Mini is an affordable and portable smart telescope that comes with a solar filter and provides effortless solar imaging.
It was cheaper at the beginning of July, but it's still a great investment that you can use day and night all year round, so we wouldn't let the higher price put you off. Plus, it's still much more affordable than most, if not all, other smart telescopes.
Prime members can get same-day delivery (depending on location).
Read our full Dwarf Mini review View Deal
Now feels like the right time to grab a smart telescope, we reckon you can't get better than the ZWO SeeStar S30 Pro , and the included solar filter is ideal for capturing images or time-lapses of the eclipse. Plus, it produces absolutely stunning astro-images, too.
You can still get it before August 12 from BHPhoto, but we wouldn't wait too much longer. View Deal
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