We all saw the eclipse glasses craze that swept through the tri-state last weekend, and then yesterday was the eclipse and just like that, it was over.  So now you have these glasses that you rushed out to buy, and if you're like most, probably not sure what to do with them, here's a great idea and it will help people in need! 

The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library recently shared an interesting post on their Facebook page.  Many eclipse glasses have expiration dates (not all, but some!) and if they are scratched or if the lenses are dented, NASA advises against using them.  If you're like me and aren't sure you can keep your eclipse glasses in safe perfect condition for another 7 years,  you can donate them to be sent off South America and Asia to be handed out to schools, so kids there can see the solar eclipse!

Here's what they have to say:

* HAVE SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES? PLEASE READ *

Hooray for the eclipse! Now one question remains: What do I do with my glasses?

We've heard rumblings of saving the glasses for the next seven years...

If the iTunes user agreement has conditioned us to do anything, it's to skip the fine print. However, approved glasses should have come with a warning to toss your glasses after three years.

While the glasses may appear to be safe, several years of storage can provide wear and tear that renders the glasses unsafe. Scratches especially compromise the lenses.

*** I hate to just throw them out, what can I do next?

Keep an eye out on the Astronomers Without Borders page! They'll be announcing a partnership soon to receive donated glasses for schools in South America and Asia. A solar eclipse will cross these continents in 2019!

How cool is that?  I'm going to donate mine, I mean they were only like $2 and I really don't want to try and keep track of them for the next 7 years haha!

Oh and if you're wondering why I said 7 years, didn't you hear?!  We're having another big eclipse in 2024, and Evansville is right in the path of totality!

 

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