Solar eclipse glasses aren’t described by a “color shade” like sunglasses, but by a shade number , and they’re extremely dark—far darker than normal eyewear.

Quick Scoop: What Shade Are Solar Eclipse Glasses?

  • Safe solar eclipse glasses are typically equivalent to welding shade 14 (or at least shade 12+, with shade 14 most commonly recommended).
  • They block about 99.999% of visible light and essentially all harmful UV and IR, so the Sun looks like a small, bright disk on a very dark background.
  • To your eyes, the lenses look almost completely black/opaque indoors; you usually can’t see anything through them except the Sun or very bright light sources.

How That Compares to Regular Sunglasses

  • Regular sunglasses are only around 3–5 “stops” of dimming , nowhere near safe for staring at the Sun.
  • Eclipse glasses (shade 14 level) are more like 12–16 “stops” of dimming, which is why they feel like looking through a nearly solid black sheet.

Mini FAQ

  1. So what “shade” should I look for?
    • Look for products that state they meet ISO 12312‑2 for direct solar viewing, or welding filters labeled shade 14 for DIY setups.
  1. Are they tinted green, orange, or something else?
    • Many certified eclipse viewers use a black/silver polymer that shows the Sun as orange or yellowish, while some welding lenses are deep green —either is fine as long as they meet the safety standard.
  1. If I can see normal room details through them, are they safe?
    • No. Proper eclipse glasses should be so dark that you can only see very bright sources like the Sun.

TL;DR: When people ask “what shade are solar eclipse glasses,” the practical answer is: they’re about welding shade 14–level darkness , appearing almost pitch black to your eyes and certified under ISO 12312‑2 for safe solar viewing.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.