Extended Solar Safety Statement

Recently there have been several reports of potentially unsafe solar products being sold on Amazon and through other retailers.  As a result of the reports, Amazon required all manufacturers and sellers of solar observing products to provide ISO compliance documents.  Celestron submitted documents ensuring the safety of all EclipSmart products, including the following:

The compliance documents included independent lab test results showing ISO conformity for light transmittance, ISO certifications from our US supplier American Paper Optics, and other details to ensure that our products are guaranteed safe for solar observation.  The documents were accepted and approved by Amazon.

Some manufacturers and sellers were unable to provide ISO conformity documents to Amazon, and their products were removed from Amazon.com.  Customers who purchased these products have been contacted by Amazon, informing them that the products may be unsafe, and not to use them.  Customers were also notified that they would be refunded for the purchase. 

We commend Amazon for the steps they have taken to ensure the safety of their customers.  However, it is being reported that some customers have inadvertently received notification from Amazon regarding the safety of the product.  This may include legitimate Celestron EclipSmart products that were sold by third party retailers on Amazon as bundles or multipacks. 

For example, several Celestron authorized retailers created multipacks on our 44405 EclipSmart Solar Shades Observing Kit and sold them through Amazon.  Celestron submitted ISO documentation for the 44405 EclipSmart Solar Shades Observing Kit, but Amazon did not include the multipacks in the verification process.  Therefore, customers who purchased the multipack may receive a notification from Amazon, but the product is fully ISO compliant and 100% guaranteed safe for solar observation.     

All Celestron EclipSmart products feature Solar Safe filter technology and are ISO compliant to the transmission requirements of ISO 12312-2 for filters for the direct observation of the sun.  Every EclipSmart solar shade and filter uses film supplied here in the United States by American Paper Optics, one of the suppliers recommended by NASA and the AAS.

EclipSmart binoculars and telescopes feature dual-lens, non-removable glass solar filters that fully meet the ISO 12312-2 standard.  Celestron went even further to ensure safe solar observing by having Solar Safe filter technologies independently lab tested by Optical Data Associates. 

Safety is our highest priority.  We would like to reassure our customers that Celestron EclipSmart products are 100% safe for solar observing, as reinforced by the list of reputable vendors of solar filters and viewers by the American Astronomical Society (AAS).