Really? Solar eclipse glasses for August 21st?

On August 21st, 2017, most of North America will be treated to a solar eclipse, with many viewers from Oregon to North Carolina able to see a "total eclipse" when the moon, passing between the sun and the Earth, entirely blocks the sun (see the path below and find more detailed information at https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4518). According to a Time article, the events will begin at "Lincoln Beach, Ore., where a partial eclipse will begin at 9:05 a.m. PST on Aug. 21. The total solar eclipse will begin there at 10:16 a.m. The total eclipse will then move from the West Coast to the East Coast, ending near Columbia, S.C. at 2:44 p.m. EST." See more details for your viewing area at http://time.com/4750899/total-solar-eclipse/.

As an amateur astronomer, I learned to NEVER EVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN, whether wearing special glasses or not. And at that time, I had never heard of "solar eclipse glasses". I used the ultra-safe method of directing my telescope's image of the sun down onto a matte metal plate for safe viewing. Our only other tool was a piece of cardboard with a hole pricked in it, projected down at the sidewalk or onto a viewing surface to see the solar eclipse take shape. Of course, it is safe to look at a total solar eclipse (see below from http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/solar-and-lunar-eclipses-in-2017/), but NEVER look at a partial eclipse without some protective means.

And so I was REALLY surprised to see an article about these solar eclipse glasses and where to buy them. Surprisingly, such viewing glasses do exist and NASA even sanctions them! Nonetheless, I would still be leary of using them, considering that the eye has no pain receptors at the back to tell you when there's a problem. According to the article at http://time.com/4878020/solar-eclipse-glasses-2017/, these special glasses block 99.99% of the sun's rays (unlike standard sunglasses that only block about 60%). Apparently, these glasses or filters meet the ISO 12312-2 standard for safely viewing the sun. With varying price points and a range of styles, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, NASA, and the American Astronomical Society have listed numerous "sanctioned" vendors and manufacturers in the article. I've included a couple here that I'm familiar with from my astronomy days:Celestron; I also found these on Amazon -- see image below; attractive aren't they? Meade Instruments (the glasses are out of stock, so you'll have to buy the 10x50 binoculars; see http://www.meade.com/eclipseview-10x50-binoculars-with-solar-filters.html)

So mark your calendar for August 21st if you happen to live in the United States (other countries will have to wait until at least 2019 for the next solar eclipse; see https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html for a complete schedule over the next 10 years). Personally, I think I'll get out the old telescope and watch the show the old-fashioned way!