The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The famous 2017 photo of Donald Trump looking toward the Sun is a memorable warning about a real risk: looking at an eclipse without proper protection can injure your eyes. But the meme’s role in preventing injuries was never measured. The practical lesson is clearer: use a safe solar viewer for every partial phase, and remove it during a total eclipse only while the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face.
Why the Trump eclipse photo returned in 2024
The image dates to the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. It resurfaced as an attention-getting reference ahead of the April 8, 2024 eclipse, the event meant by “this eclipse” in the original headline. Both events are in the past. NASA lists another total solar eclipse for August 12, 2026, which has also passed as of October 8, 2026.
In the 2024 article, Ralph Chou, described as an expert who helped lead the international effort to establish safety standards for eclipse glasses, said of Trump: “The Donald was no different from anybody else in that respect.” Know Your Meme editor-in-chief Don Caldwell described memes as “very powerful tools for spreading messages, sentiments, tribal bonding,” and said the image likely had many of those effects. Those comments explain why the photo can work as a cautionary illustration; they do not show that it changed viewers’ behavior or prevented eye injuries. Mashable’s March 31, 2024 article reports the image’s context and those remarks.
Can you look at an eclipse without glasses?
It depends on the eclipse phase. During a partial or annular eclipse, never look directly at the Sun without proper solar-viewing protection. During a total solar eclipse, direct viewing without protection is safe only for the brief period when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s bright face.
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- TRUSTED BY MILLIONS - Soluna Glasses are made in the USA by NASA-approved manufacturer American Paper Optics, and are recognized as ISO-compliant by the American Astronomical Society. Join the millions of eclipse chasers that trusted Soluna Eclipse Glasses for the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.
- CE AND ISO CERTIFIED FOR DIRECT SUN VIEWING - Our eclipse glasses have been independently tested and verified by ICS Laboratories under the most current standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E) for filters for direct observation of the sun. You can watch the total solar eclipse with absolute confidence in your eye safety.
- OPTIMIZED DESIGN - Soluna Glasses feature scratch-resistant Silver Polymer lens material with an optical density of 5 or greater. Our glasses filter 100% of harmful ultra-violet, 100% of harmful infrared, and 99.999% of intense visible light, offering both unparalleled safety and comfort for the best viewing experience.
- A COMFORTABLE FIT - These certified eclipse glasses are designed for teens and adults, featuring convenient crease lines on both sides for an easy, secure fit.
- 2023 ANNULAR AND 2024 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES - On October 14th 2023, an annular eclipse (when the sun forms a ring around the moon) will cross the United States from Oregon to Texas. We will then experience a once-in-a-generation Total Solar Eclipse on April 8th 2024 - the only USA total eclipse until August 23rd, 2044. You will be amazed as the moon completely blocks the sun during Totality, which lasts but mere minutes. Soluna Glasses are what you need to safely view both of these eclipses.
Before and after totality
Wear a safe solar viewer while any part of the Sun’s bright face is visible. In a total eclipse, put the viewer back on as soon as sunlight reappears. An annular eclipse is never total: the Moon does not fully cover the Sun, so protection stays on throughout direct viewing.
During totality
Only viewers within the path of totality experience the Moon fully covering the Sun. If you are watching from there, you may remove your solar viewer only after the bright face is completely covered, and only until it begins to reappear. Follow the eclipse’s changing phases closely rather than relying on a fixed elapsed time. NASA explains the distinctions in its Eclipse Viewing Safety guidance.
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- 🌑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Mark August 12, 2026 on your calendar - the moon will pass perfectly in front of the sun in a sight most people only witness once in a lifetime. Don't let this rare celestial moment slip by. Own this moment with eclipse glasses engineered for the view of a lifetime - because August 12, 2026 will not come twice
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- 📱 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄: These glasses do two things. Watch the eclipse safely and capturing it on your phone. Simply cut the eclipse glasses in half with scisors and use it on your phone along the marked line - it turns into a solar filter for your phone camera. Hold it over your lens and capture the partial phases, the diamond ring, and totality. Sharp photos. Safe shots. No burned sensor. No extra filter to buy.
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- 👨👩👧👦🔭 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒: The eclipse is better with the people you love. Each pair comes individually wrapped and ready to hand out. Slim enough to fit in your pocket. Easy to carry wherever you're watching from. Everyone gets their own pair. Nobody misses a second.
Are eclipse glasses safe, and are sunglasses enough?
Ordinary sunglasses are not safe for looking at the Sun, no matter how dark their lenses are. NASA says safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker than ordinary sunglasses and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA does not approve a particular brand, so the standard is a requirement to check—not an endorsement of a specific product.
- Inspect eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer before use; discard it if damaged.
- Supervise children using solar viewers.
- Use a viewer intended for direct solar observation, not ordinary sunglasses or improvised tinted materials.
Can you use eclipse glasses with a camera, telescope, or binoculars?
No. Do not look at the Sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses. Magnifying optics concentrate sunlight and can damage the viewer and your eyes. Such equipment needs a special-purpose solar filter securely mounted over the front of the optics. Eclipse glasses are not a substitute for that filter.
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- 🔗 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒: Every pair arrives individually wrapped to stay clean, scratch-free, and ready to share, plus an attached lanyard keeps them securely around your neck between viewing moments. No more lost glasses, no more crushed pairs in your back pocket (yes, we've all done it).
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What if you do not have a solar viewer?
Use indirect projection rather than looking directly at the Sun. A pinhole projector lets sunlight pass through a small opening and projects an image onto a surface for you to view. Look at the projected image, not through the pinhole toward the Sun. NASA describes this and other safe-viewing precautions in its solar eclipse safety guidance.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Solar eclipse glasses Approved 2024,Safe Solar Observation - These certified safe shades are designed for direct solar viewing. Our approved solar eclipse glasses are perfect for observing eclipses, sunspots, and planetary transits.
- Meets Industry Standards - Our CE and ISO certified safe shades for direct sun viewing are made while adhering to stringent safety and quality regulations set by the American Astronomical Society.
- A Comfy Fit - These certified sunglasses for eclipse are suitable for teens and adults. Featuring crease lines on both sides, these optical quality safe shades may be worn over prescription glasses.
- Filters Out Harmful Light - View eclipses safely with our paper glasses. Our solar viewers use solar safe filter technology, which helps shield your eyes from IR, UV, and 99.9999% of visible light.
- Excellent Value - Each pack contains 10 non-polarized solar eclipse glasses for viewing the sun. Share them with friends and loved ones so you can all enjoy viewing solar eclipses in complete safety.
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- Solar eclipse glasses Approved 2024, Safe Solar Observation - These certified safe shades are designed for direct solar viewing. Our solar eclipse glasses are perfect for observing eclipses, sunspots, and planetary transits.
- Meets Industry Standards - Our CE and ISO certified safe shades for direct sun viewing are made while adhering to stringent safety and quality regulations set by the American Astronomical Society.
- A Comfy Fit - These certified sunglasses for eclipse are suitable for teens and adults. Featuring crease lines on both sides, these optical quality safe shades may be worn over prescription glasses.
- Filters Out Harmful Light - View eclipses safely with our paper glasses. Our solar viewers use solar safe filter technology, which helps shield your eyes from IR, UV, and 99.9999% of visible light.
- Excellent Value - Each pack contains 10 non-polarized solar eclipse glasses for viewing the sun. Share them with friends and loved ones so you can all enjoy viewing solar eclipses in complete safety.
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