Path of 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
The United States will witness a total solar eclipse on August 21. But to observe the eclipse without burning your retinas, you will need special glasses that conform to the ISO 12312-2 safety standards.
Amazon is not releasing the brand-name of the recalled eclipse glasses because they were counterfeit, which means they were a knock-off of an authentic brand-name that does meet ISO standards.
Eclipse glasses sold on Amazon.com are required to comply with the relevant ISO standard. The company has emailed anyone who purchased the counterfeit glasses, according to a statement:
Safety is among our highest priorities. Out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively reached out to customers and provided refunds for eclipse glasses that may not comply with industry standards.”
Looking directly at the sun is not safe except during the brief total eclipse (“totality”) when the moon entirely blocks the sun’s face, which will happen only within a narrow range in the U.S.
The only safe way to look at an un-eclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special solar filters in “eclipse glasses” or handheld viewers.
You can refer to the American Astronomical Society (AAS) list of Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers to find the authorized dealers of ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses.
Source: Amazon recalls ineffective (and dangerous) solar eclipse glasses