ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Where can you get the glasses needed to stare at the eclipse safely?

Visit Rochester predicts up to 500,000 people will travel here to be in the path of totality for the eclipse. To stare at the sun safely as the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, people will need eclipse glasses.

Diane asks “how do you obtain the special glasses for viewing the eclipse on April 8th?”

One option is at the Rochester Museum and Science Center. You can pick them up at the RMSC gift shop and the front desk at the planetarium for $2.50. If the museum is out-of-the-way, there are plenty of other options. You can see a list of two dozen other locations here from Keuka Lake all the way up to Brockport.

You’ll want to look for glasses certified by the International Standards Organization. The ISO published standards for looking at the sun in 2015. The American Astronomical Society recommends looking for proof of ISO certification on your glasses before you buy them, typically printed on the inside of the frame.

If you’re thinking about making a pair at home out of household items, it’s not recommended. Experts say no one should make their own glasses, so they don’t put your eyesight at risk.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send an email to goodquestion@whec.com.