The Flandrau Planetarium on the University of Arizona campus reports that it has solar eclipse glasses in stock and they can be purchased for $5 each at the center's science store.
The planetarium said on its Facebook page that because of high demand the glasses cannot be put on hold for later pickup. The science center said it had sold out its stock of glasses earlier in the week but got in a new shipment on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Starizona, the astronomy store on North Oracle Road, said on its website that it is out of eclipse glasses.
Witnessing the partial solar eclipse on Monday from Southern Arizona might be a learning experience for many, but when it comes to your safety, you don’t want to learn the hard way. The region will see about 60 percent of the sun blocked by the moon on Monday.
Here are some tips to keep you safe and have fun during the eclipse.
- Never look directly at the sun.
- Never look at the sun through telescope, binocular, or camera lenses without the proper filters.
- Make sure that you put on eclipse glasses before looking at the sun and take them off only after looking away.
Amid concerns that not all eclipse glasses are actually safe, there are a few things you can check for.
Ensure that the glasses meet official standards. A list of reputable vendors, including Starizona can be found at eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters
Even some fake glasses might have a forged seal of approval so you can also check by looking for leaks and light spots in the filter that are not from the sun.
You can find more safety tips here: eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety
Here are some places where you can safely watch the eclipse.
- Flandrau will be playing planetarium shows on Friday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Monday from 9 a.m. to noon, which is during the eclipse, there will be information, activities, and mini-talks, as well as solar telescopes on the UA mall in front of Flandrau. During this time only, admission to the center will be free. More info at www.flandrau.org
- Mount Lemmon SkyCenter will have telescopes available near the Sabino Canyon Visitors Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Day-use fees apply for visiting the canyon.
- Pima County Public libraries around town will have viewing events on Monday. Check the library's website for more information.
Or if you rather, here's the direct link to a livestream of the eclipse on YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5RRbTI9gmX3M8HDCKNBBwQ/live
