Q: I read about the solar eclipse and the special glasses. Where can you walk in and get them locally?
—Olivia Kappus, Atlanta
A: The American Astronomical Society lists these retail chains as those that sell solar filters and viewers that have met the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard: 7-Eleven, Best Buy, Circle K, HobbyTown, Kirkland's, Kroger, Love's Travel Stops, Lowe's, Pilot/Flying J, REI, Toys "R" Us and Walmart.
Some, but not all, of those retailers’ locations sell solar eclipse glasses and/or handheld viewers that meet international safety standards, ”so you can confidently buy solar viewers if you find them in their stores — but not necessarily on their websites,” the AAS notes on its website.
Q: Kroger is selling glasses under the name "Sun Catcher," which are manufactured by Explore Scientific LLC, Springdale, Arizona. The product claims to conform to and meets the transmission requirements of ISO 12312-2. Can you suggest a way to confirm whether or not they are certified by the American Astronomical Society (AAS)?
—Dave Williams, Dunwoody
A: Explore Scientific is now listed as a reputable manufacturer, whose Explore One Solar Eclipse Sun Catcher glasses and/or handheld solar viewers have been verified by an accredited testing laboratory to meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. AAS continues to update its list of reputable manufacturers and authorized dealers, which is available at: eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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