(Editor's Note: You can read an updated version of this article here.)
The Oklahoma government strikes again!
Earlier today, we received a tip from an Ogle Mole that official Travel OK-branded solar eclipse glasses being sold at the Oklahoma Capitol Gift Shop – and perhaps elsewhere across the state – appear to be cheap Chinese counterfeits!
According to the American Astronomical Society, counterfeit glasses from China are flooding the market, with many of the knock-offs being deemed unsafe.
They say the best way to tell if your eclipse glasses are genuine is to look at the inside left earpiece.
The counterfeit glasses will “include the name of U.S. company American Paper Optics but not the address,” whereas APO's glasses will “include both their name and address, as required by the ISO 12312-2 international standard for filters for direct observation of the Sun.”
Here’s an example the AAS put together. The counterfeit ones are pictured up top, while the legit glasses are pictured at the bottom:
Compare the counterfeit ones the AAS used as an example to the ones being hawked by Oklahoma Tourism at the State Capitol Gift Shop. They’re virtually identical!
Based on this hard-hitting TLO investigation, it appears pretty conclusive that the geniuses in the State Tourism Department ordered freaking counterfeit eclipse glasses from China for the huge tourism event they’ve been planning for since 2022!
If that’s not the most Oklahoma thing ever, I don’t know what is.
Assuming these glasses are counterfeit, and it seems very likely they are, I guess the obvious questions are…
A) Are all Travel Oklahoma-branded eclipse glasses, including the ones they are selling online and at state parks, counterfeits?
Because I believe in getting page views first and asking questions second, I shot our good pal Shelley Zumwalt – the State Secretary of Tourism – that question. I’ll update our post to see what they say.
B) Are they not safe to use?
I’m not 100% sure. The AAS has a section on their page titled “How To Tell If A Solar Viewer Is Safe” and the primary bit of advice is to make sure you buy official glasses that aren’t counterfeits.
C) Since most Republicans will be at home during the eclipse protecting their families from the end times, is this a deliberate ploy by state leadership to blind Democrats and Independents?
Possibly.
Anyway, I guess if you have a pair of state-issued eclipse glasses you should probably check the inside left earpiece. If they have the markings of counterfeits, I would either throw them away or ask the state for a $2.99 refund.
We’ll let you know if we have any updates.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
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