Protect Your Eyes,
See the Skies

Experience the Total Solar Eclipse on
April 8, 2024

Throughout history, major celestial events have inspired both fear and wonder and the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, is guaranteed to leave viewers in awe.

The Vision Council represents the U.S. during the creation and maintenance of international optical industry technical standards by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which includes ISO 12312-2, the standard that all ‘filters for the direct observation of the sun,’ including the filters used for eclipse glasses.

To ensure individuals across the country are experiencing the eclipse safely and responsibly, The Vision Council has developed a guide of resources and celebratory materials for use leading up to the eclipse on April 8. This major event, bringing thousands of visitors to the path of totality from across the country, is said to be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044.

Download our Eclipse Social Media Tool Kit
Download our Eclipse PDF Guide

The Vision Council’s Total Solar Eclipse Guide

Check Your ISO

If you’re planning to watch the eclipse in person, make sure you wear eclipse glasses marked with ISO 12312-2 for the duration of the event.

Learn more about where to get eclipse glasses here.

 

Prepare to Safely Take Eclipse Photos

Want to snap some photos of the eclipse before it reaches totality? Snag an extra pair of ISO-compliant glasses for your smartphone – this will act as a solar filter for your camera lens. Before you begin snapping, be sure to turn off your phone’s flash, and turn on the burst setting for the best chance of capturing this phenomenon.

 

Countdown with Eclipse Cinema Celebrities

Compared to other astronomical events like asteroid threats or space travel, solar eclipses are depicted less often in film. See how eclipses on the silver screen compare to the real thing and stream one of these movies that feature the phenomenon:

  • King Solomon’s Mines (1937)
  • A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1949)
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
  • Little Shop of Horrors (1976)
  • A Knight in Camelot (1998)
  • Judy Berlin (1999)
  • Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
  • The Wild Thornberry’s Movie (2002)
  • Apocalypto (2006)

Learn more about eclipses on screen here.

 

Celebrate with an Eclipse (of the Heart) Playlist

Hosting a viewing party on April 8?

Follow the stages of the solar eclipse through song with The Vision Council’s Total Solar Eclipse Playlist.