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Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

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Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#141

Post by yAnonymous »

Not only are there massive amounts of counterfeit products on Amazon, they also encourage it by letting the sellers fake reviews. Here's how they do it:

* Collect positive reviews on a cheap article.

* Change the product, but not the article ID. The new article then has the reviews of the old one.

* Finally, they lock the reviews by setting the article to "not released yet", even though the product is for sale.

That way, you get positive reviews for a shitty product and customers can't add negative reviews.

Amazon don't do anything about this, even though it's clearly deceptive and, at least here, against the law.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#142

Post by Stratoscope »

Houshalter wrote: post #131

How dangerous is it to watch a solar eclipse without proper dark glasses? I recall a Feynman story where he watched the first nuclear bomb test without eye protection, just through the window of a truck. Under the theory that normal glass filters most UV light.

Well, Feynman was one of the most brilliant scientists in history, but he was also quite insane. (As one of his students, I say this with a great deal of love and respect for him!)

To answer your question, though, we need to distinguish between a partial eclipse and a total eclipse. You had best use eye protection for a partial eclipse, or even better, use a pinhole projector as I described elsewhere in this thread. (Search the page for my username.)

But a total eclipse is perfectly safe to view with the naked eye, and even with binoculars! You could use a telescope, but binoculars give you a better field of view. Either way, you're not looking at the sun any more, you're looking at the solar corona.

During totality, the sun is completely blocked by the moon itself. This is a much more substantial filter than anything you could ever buy on Amazon.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#143

Post by Stratoscope »

ams6110 wrote: post #21

I was always taught to never view an eclipse directly with any kind of filter/glasses. Use a simple lens, or even a pinhole, to project the image onto another surface and view it that way.

This is excellent advice! I agree wholeheartedly.

Just to add one nuance, this is only needed for the partial eclipse. If you are viewing the total eclipse, use the pinhole projector for the partial phases. But during totality only, it is perfectly safe to view the solar corona with the naked eye, even with binoculars.

I went into more detail elsewhere in this thread; search the page for my username for more info.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#144

Post by 4ad »

raverbashing wrote: post #120
dingaling wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is horrific and likely dangerous "advice". The mylar composite used in floppy disks seems opaque... to visible light. 54% of the Sun's energy output is in other wavelengths. There is no certification that a floppy disk cookie will block those. Plus it has a big hole in the middle, danger of inadvertent viewing. This is like the argument I have with other photographers every eclipse when they try to use their 'su…

> Unless it's designed and certifed as a Solar viewing material just don't even contemplate it. People have been using dark pieces of photographic film to see eclipses since ever. I wonder if there has been studies on its UV transmissibility Thought you're right about the super-dark film and I don't think those are dark enough even on the visible range Though I do agree if you want to stare at it directly your best c…

> People have been using dark pieces of photographic film to see eclipses since ever.

Fully exposed and developed black and white film is safe, color negative film, however, is totally unsafe, regardless of how dark it might seem. The film has to contain real silver particles, not color dyes.

Beware of monochromatic film that looks black and white but it’s really a color negative film developed using C41 process. It has to be real black and white film.

http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality2/TotalityCh11.html#Film

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#145

Post by jaclaz »

raverbashing wrote: post #37

Use an old floppy disk to see the eclipse. I'm serious It seems opaque, but it is transparent enough to see the sun

I may be "old school" but the "traditional" way is to use a welding mask glass, something you can usually buy "around the corner" for a very little amount of money and I see that NASA also advises about it:

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html

>One of the most widely available filters for safe solar viewing is a number 14 welder's glass, available through welding supply outlets.

And both colour fim and non-silver B&W film are listed by them among the unsafe:

>Unsafe filters include color film, some non-silver black and white film, medical x-ray films with images on them, smoked glass, photographic neutral density filters and polarizing filters.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#146

Post by marsRoverDev »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #85
slackingoff2017 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They won't until consumers wise up. I've stopped using them completely, not worth the gamble. Their price advantage has eroded anyways. I don't see any advantage to buying from them relative to straight from the manufacturer most of the time. Amazon has done a great job squeezing shipping costs and margins. I doubt I pay more than 5% more on anything but I know I'm not getting any fakes

Amazon blew it when they invited 3rd party sellers. When it was just Amazon + Their Warehouse you knew what you were getting.

Even when it is fulfilled by amazon you don't have any guarantee it's not fake.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#147

Post by Cthulhu_ »

halfnibble wrote: post #11

How do we still have issues with counterfeit products in 2017? There should be electronic records with audit trails for every shipment into the US. This ordeal is probably going to bankrupt several small businesses.

In NL / Europe, Amazon would be shut down for selling counterfeit products. Or well, they would if it was e.g. brand name stuff. For this kind of thing, not sure. A recall and a fine for selling unsafe products probably.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#148

Post by jostylr »

microtonal wrote: post #87
hellbanner wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just checked my "Soluna" glasses - I can see a high watt bulb in a lamp, previously I couldn't see any lower watt bulb :/

I am not an expert, so take this with a grain of salt: but you cannot visually check whether it blocks ultra-violet or infrared. So, this visual inspection seems bogus to me, since you cannot be sure whether all wavelengths are blocked. Be careful!

Amazon should do a sampling of inventory and check whether they pass or not.

And it may happen to be that blocking the visual with the counterfeits also blocks the invisible wavelengths. Or it may not.

There should be some statistical evidence provided.

I did read from one of the recommended manufacturers that they tried to warn Amazon about this for months. They also tested them and they appeared safe in the tests they ran even though they were not legitimate.

But only Amazon knows what they have actually sold.

Re: Amazon recalls eclipse glasses

#150

Post by birdman3131 »

klausjensen wrote: post #110
ikeboy wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's only for sellers that opt in to commingling. Plenty of sellers don't.

Are you sure it is not the other way around, that you have to opt out as a seller? Anecdotally, a friend of mine runs a company that produces a unique fitness product, never opted into any kind of co-mingling as far as I know, as they are the only supplier in the world - and suddenly found themselves with comingled fake stock.

You have to opt in as far as I know because the full name is stickerless comingled. It has its benefits but the sellers I know refuse to touch the stuff because of the potential issues.
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