CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 2024 North American eclipse is over, and you probably have a pair of eclipse glasses lying around somewhere.
A viral post on Facebook claims you can donate your glasses to school children in Latin America for the South American eclipse in October. But is that true?
THE QUESTION
Can you donate your 2024 eclipse glasses to school kids in Latin America?
THE ANSWER
Yes, you can mail in your 2024 eclipse glasses so they can be used by school kids in Latin America to experience the South American Eclipse in October.
OUR SOURCES
- Astronomers Without Borders
- Roger Sarkis, owner of Eclipse Glasses USA
WHAT WE FOUND
Sarkis said the rumors are true.
"You can donate them to us, you can donate them to Astronomers Without Borders," Sarkis said. "We were just the beneficiary of a viral Facebook post that went out from the city of St. Louis."
Astronomers Without Borders is an organization dedicated to spreading astronomy throughout the world and connecting people through a universal interest.
According to its site, “projects include crowdfunding in developed countries to sponsor the purchase of equipment and training for people in developing countries.”
Sarkis said the eclipse was such a special moment for everyone in the U.S. and said donating your eclipse glasses can help ensure others around the world get a chance to experience this phenomenon as well.
"We all stopped for the same time and looked at the same star, same orbital mechanics, all of our differences disappeared," Sarkis said. "We're all sharing the same human experience."
And if you’re wondering if your eclipse glasses are safe to donate, Sarkis said you’ll need to make sure they meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.
"So one of the requirements for ISO compliance is that the manufacturer's name, address and contact information must be included in the language that's printed on the back of those glasses," he said. "In addition, the seller's information needs to be included as well."
But what if your glasses have a few marks or scratches on them? Sarkis said they’re still OK to donate.
"The most important thing to look for is damage to the lens," Sarkis said. "A scratch on the lens is not in and of itself dangerous. But if the scratch perforates or penetrates the lenses yes, they will be discarded."
Other places to donate your eclipse glasses:
To donate your glasses to Eclipse Glasses USA, mail them to P.O. Box 50571, Provo, UT 84605.
WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make a difference in the Carolinas by making sure the community has the correct information. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.
