Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Space
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

April’s solar eclipse can be safely viewed with Warby Parker’s free specs

Trevor Mogg
By

Quick to spot an opportunity, eyewear company Warby Parker has announced it will be handing out free eclipse glasses for safe viewing of April’s highly anticipated celestial event.

“An astronomical phenomenon is coming on April 8 — the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044 — and whether you’re getting a full view or a partial peek, we’re here to help you see it,” Warby Parker said in a message on its website, adding, “As avid supporters of sharp vision, we want to make sure you have everything you need to safely witness this celestial spectacle.”

Recommended Videos

You can pick up your free eclipse glasses from any of Warby Parker’s more than 250 stores across the U.S. (its website has a full list of store locations) from April 1. It’s offering up to two pairs per family, while supplies last. We’re betting that the offer will be popular, so do swing by as early as possible if you’re keen to grab a pair (or two).

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!
Privacy Policy

Warby Parker says that if you miss out, it’ll hand you a free eclipse pinhole projector instead, which offers another way to safely view April’s solar eclipse. If you can’t make it to a store then you can download the template for the DIY pinhole eclipse projector from this Warby Parker webpage.

The specs are made by American Paper Optics and are ISO-certified, meaning they’re safe to use for viewing the event.

The total solar eclipse on April 8 will see the narrow path of totality fall over Mexico (from Sinaloa to Coahuila), the U.S. (from Texas to Maine), and Canada (from Ontario to Newfoundland). A partial eclipse will be viewable from almost all of North America and even parts of Europe. This Digital Trends article offers more more detailed information on the location of the eclipse’s path of totality across the U.S.

Be sure to take special care when viewing next month’s solar eclipse, and only use specially made viewing devices or spectacles to do so. If you can’t get hold of Warby Parker’s specs, NASA has some excellent information on how to enjoy the breathtaking spectacle without damaging your eyesight.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Outside the solar eclipse zone? Here’s how to watch it online
best solar eclipse gear

Solar Eclipse June 10, 2021

People in the northeast of the U.S. and eastern Canada will be treated to a partial solar eclipse on the morning of Thursday, June 10 -- weather permitting, of course. Digital Trends has full details on how you can witness the event should you be lucky enough to be located in its path.

Read more
Here’s how to watch Thursday’s ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse
A partial solar eclipse.

What's Up: June 2021 Skywatching Tips from NASA

NASA has just posted its monthly update (above) highlighting upcoming treats for sky watchers. Top of the list is a solar eclipse, though you may want to check out Scorpius and its blazing red star, too.
Solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between Earth and the sun, obscuring Earthlings’ view of our nearest star. While the event taking place on Thursday, June 10, will be a partial eclipse, where a portion of the sun will remain visible, it still promises to be an amazing spectacle for those lucky enough to witness it.

Read more
Parker Solar Probe detects a natural radio signal coming from Venus
When flying past Venus in July 2020, Parker Solar Probe’s WISPR instrument, short for Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe, detected a bright rim around the edge of the planet that may be nightglow — light emitted by oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere that recombine into molecules in the nightside. The prominent dark feature in the center of the image is Aphrodite Terra, the largest highland region on the Venusian surface. Bright streaks in WISPR, such as the ones seen here, are typically caused by a combination of charged particles — called cosmic rays — sunlight reflected by grains of space dust, and particles of material expelled from the spacecraft’s structures after impact with those dust grains. The number of streaks varies along the orbit or when the spacecraft is traveling at different speeds, and scientists are still in discussion about the specific origins of the streaks here. The dark spot appearing on the lower portion of Venus is an artifact from the WISPR instrument.

During its third Venus flyby on July 11, 2020, Parker Solar Probe's WISPR imager captured this view of Venus' nightside from 7,693 miles away. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Laboratory/Guillermo Stenborg and Brendan Gallagher

A NASA spacecraft intended to study the sun has been doing some bonus science, revealing new information about Venus as it passes by the planet. It's been a long time since a spacecraft has taken a direct measurement of the Venusian atmosphere -- according to NASA the last time was almost 30 years ago when the Pioneer Venus Orbiter peered into the atmosphere in 1992 -- and the study has revealed some fascinating facts about our planetary neighbor.

Read more