Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold Eclipse Glasses / Shades # 2459294 - Pack of 1

Meets and conforms to transmission requirements of ISO 12312-2 filters for direct observations of the Sun.

1. Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold Eclipse Glasses / Shades # 2459294 - Pack of 1

On August 21 2017, every solar enthusiast will need an eclipse viewer to see the Great American Eclipse in USA. Many cheap and unsafe products are offered – we have a better alternative with our 25 years of experience in producing solar filter equipment: Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold* glasses/shades # 2459294.

(Agena Note: We do not know why Baader calls this "Silver/Gold". The film is silver on one side and black on the other!)

2. Features:

• No reflections: The anti-reflective, UV-absorbing "Gold" Film on the inside of Baader's AstroSolar Viewers guarantees a most comfortable viewing experience
• Made in Germany: Baader Solar Viewers are entirely produced in Germany under direct supervision of Baader Planetarium. These are high quality glasses using time tested expensive materials, processes, and stringent quality controls.
• Safety: Baader Solar Viewer AstroSolar Glasses meet and largely exceed the latest EN ISO 12312-2:2015 standard for eclipse viewers. Just as importantly - each and every viewer is tested to ensure its safety. Don't entrust your eyes to anything less.
• Crystal clear and tack sharp: Many low cost viewers may supply softer hazy views. Baader's Solar Viewers deliver the same crystal clear views as their renowned AstroSolar film used for over 25 years by professionals and amateurs for high magnification telescopic observation.
• True color views: No other viewer presents the sun as close to its real color – WHITE! Other viewers claim to produce a "pleasing" or "natural" yellow or orange colored sun (not because that is desirable, but because all simple smoked plastic viewers color the image to look reddish). Nothing could be more unnatural for the overhead sun. Our Sun is White and Baader's AstroSolar Glasses are the only way to see it this way with your eyes.

The optical density of the AstroSolar Silver/Gold Solar Viewer is OD 5.0. Baader Planetarium's solar glasses are CE-certified and comply to the Norm EN ISO 12312-2:2015 – thus they are certified for safe and direct viewing of the Sun.

AstroSolar Silver/Gold has no added treatments to attain fine-optical properties necessary for high magnification work. It is not suited to being used in combination with telescope, binoculars, spotting scopes or camera lenses.

Baader has been producing Baader AstroSolar Silver Film for more than 25 years. In 1999, during the grand total eclipse over Europe, more than 20 million solar viewers equipped with this film were sold. For the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017, Baader has now introduced an improved successor: Solar Viewer AstroSolar Silver/Gold with eye-sided reflex-free material for an excellent viewing experience.

Dimensions: 142 x 40 x 2 mm. Ships folded.

3. Warning:

Never look at the sun without special eye protection. When viewing the eclipse, use these glasses at all times when any part of the sun is visible. For direct, unmagnified viewing only. Do not look into an unfiltered telescope with these glasses.

4. Why does Baader not use this film for telescopes?

When using precision-grade AstroSolar Safety Film for telescopes, perfect optical quality is most important. However, this film must be treated with great care since the metal and protective coatings applied onto both sides of the film are very similar in their technical properties to the reflective surface applied onto astronomical mirrors. Since a Solar Viewer is used visually at zero magnification, the optical grade of the film is not of prime consideration. Instead it is most desirable to apply protective coatings of highest durability grade, to end up with a protective film of much higher resilience against accidental rough handling.

This is being achieved for AstroSolar Silver/Gold Film with its metal hard coated layers applied onto both sides of the film, making it scratch resistant without sacrificing sharpness and without creating a double image of the Sun due to adding up several layers of dark and/or reflective film onto each other. A single layer of AstroSolar Film provides a perfectly sharp and energy balanced solar image – including the ability of identifying large sunspots and without transmitting irresponsible amounts of infrared (heat) radiation as with simpler sooth-filled energy absorbent films which do not offer added IR-blocking by metal reflective coatings.

Due to the dual side metallization process designed for AstroSolar Silver/Gold Film, the film remains safe for a straight look into the Sun, even in case the front side of the viewer would suffer a scratch or mild kind of abuse. Still every solar viewer must always get a thorough inspection by the user to detect possible damages due to wrong handling and must be discarded in case a defect would be visible.