MOLINE, Ill. — The April 8 solar eclipse is less than a month away, and it's important for families preparing to watch the solar spectacle to make sure they've got viewing glasses ready for the big day. Fortunately, some Quad Cities libraries has you covered.
East Moline Public Library
On Tuesday, March 12, the East Moline Public Library announced that the library has free pairs of eclipse glasses to give to local viewers. Supplies are limited to two pairs of glasses per family, and the glasses are available while supplies last.
Rock Island Public Library
The Rock Island Public Library also has plenty of eclipse glasses to share with local families. Beginning on Monday, March 25, the library began supplying viewing glasses to local families. Once again, supplies are limited to two glasses per family while supplies last. In addition to those glasses, attendees of the library's Astronomy Night program on Thursday, April 4 will also be given a pair. That event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and includes a lesson on eclipses from members of the Popular Astronomy Club.
Where else can you get eclipse glasses?
The American Astronomical Society Solar Eclipse Task Force vetted sellers and compiled a list of trusted manufacturers and suppliers of eclipse glasses here.
Unfortunately, not all sellers turn out to be reliable sources, and wearing the wrong glasses can lead to eye damage. The AAS said one warning sign to watch out for is if your eclipse glasses vendor claims they're certified by NASA. The space agency has confirmed they don't certify or endorse any products. Instead, NASA links to the AAS list of suppliers for eclipse glasses.
The group also noted that when searching on online marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, eBay or Temu, it does not recommend automatically buying from the seller offering the lowest price. Buyers should do their research and identify the seller and check to see if it's a trusted source before buying any solar viewer on an online retail marketplace.
When it comes to buying safe solar eclipse glasses, sooner is better. As the eclipse approaches, legitimate vendors are more likely to sell out.
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