The eclipse glasses, sold out in Gipuzkoa: where to get them and what to do if there are none left

Based on the regulatory information found in the Official State Gazette and other official journals, there is no specific Spanish regulation that exhaustively details the technical requirements (transmittance levels, UV/IR values, etc.) that glasses or filters must meet to observe a solar eclipse. In practice, these products fall under the general framework of product safety and, when used at work, under the regulations on personal protective equipment (PPE), but the consulted provisions do not go into the specific technical details for “eclipse glasses.” Therefore, only a general response about the regulatory framework can be offered, not a closed list of mandatory values. No further specific information is available in the sources consulted.

1. General regulatory approach in Spain

The results of the search in state legislation mainly show general regulations related to industrial safety, occupational health and safety, and personal protective equipment, but not a specific regulation on glasses for direct observation of the Sun or eclipses. For example, Royal Decree 773/1997 on the use of PPE by workers appears, modified by Royal Decree 1076/2021, of December 7, published in the BOE (Royal Decree 1076/2021). This framework generally regulates the minimum safety and health provisions related to the use of protective equipment but does not identify eclipse glasses as a specific category.

Various resolutions have also been found publishing lists of UNE standards or European standards ratified as Spanish, which are usually the vehicle through which technical standards on optical filters or eye protection are incorporated, although in the texts consulted no UNE/EN or ISO standard dedicated expressly to “filters for direct solar observation” is identified. Examples include resolutions such as that of December 3, 2015 (European standards ratified November 2015), February 19, 2018 (UNE standards January 2018), or June 10, 2025 (UNE standards repealed May 2025).

2. What can be deduced (with limits) about requirements

Since no provision expressly regulating eclipse glasses has been found, only some general guidelines can be extracted from the regulatory context:

• In the workplace, if glasses or filters were used to observe the Sun as PPE for eye protection for workers, the employer's general obligations to assess risks, select appropriate PPE, and ensure compliance with marketing and use regulations indicated in Royal Decree 773/1997 and its 2021 modification (Royal Decree 1076/2021) would apply.
• In product safety, eclipse glasses would fall under the general regime of products that must not pose a risk to people's health and safety, fitting within the general logic of industrial safety regulations and control of imported products, such as Royal Decree 330/2008 modified by Order PJC/161/2026 (Order PJC/161/2026), although this refers to import controls of certain products and does not directly regulate solar filters.
• UNE/EN technical standards: resolutions from the Directorate General of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises periodically publish which UNE standards are approved, ratified, or repealed (for example, resolution of December 13, 2010, resolution of February 14, 2012, resolution of July 2013, resolution of October 2015, resolution of September 2015, Order EIC/1337/2017, resolution March 2024, resolution April 2024, resolution December 2024). However, these references do not detail the technical content of the standards nor expressly identify one dedicated to eclipse glasses.

Therefore, it is not possible, with the available documents, to list with legal certainty requirements such as visible, UV, or infrared transmittance limits, nor to specify the mandatory warnings that should appear in the instructions for these products.

3. Other regulatory references found

The search also found standards illustrating the general treatment of protection against radiation or product safety, although they do not regulate eclipse glasses:

• Order IET/543/2012, on ultraviolet ray filters for vehicles intended for people with lupus (Order IET/543/2012).
• Various labor and industrial safety regulations: for example, Royal Decree 679/2014, on control of foreign trade in defense material and dual-use products (Royal Decree 679/2014) and its modifications by Order ECM/541/2024 (Order ECM/541/2024) and Order ECM/551/2025 (Order ECM/551/2025); or provisions on protective equipment, manufacturing aids for PPE, or medical products during COVID-19, such as Order ICT/656/2020 (Order ICT/656/2020).
• Other sectoral standards (medical products, telecommunications equipment, hygienic masks, etc.), such as Royal Decree 192/2023 (medical products), Order CSM/115/2021 (hygienic masks), or Royal Decree 188/2016 on radio equipment (Royal Decree 188/2016), which show the typical scheme of requirements (safety, marking, user information) applicable to other areas but without direct extrapolation to eclipse glasses.

In short, based on the consulted regulations, it can only be stated that glasses for observing an eclipse must fit within the general framework of product safety and, where applicable, personal protective equipment, but no text is available in these sources that expressly and in detail sets the specific technical requirements for these filters.

The National Geographic Institute (IGN) is assigned, within the framework of the General State Administration, the key competence of providing official information on astronomy in Spain, and of coordinating much of the observation and dissemination of astronomical phenomena through its network of observatories and cartographic tools. This function is mainly channeled through the National Astronomical Observatory (OAN) and the autonomous body National Geographic Information Center (CNIG). In recent years, the deployment of resources linked to the so-called “Trio of Eclipses” 2026‑2028 illustrates very well how it exercises these competencies. The main dimensions of this role are summarized below.

Formal competence of official astronomical information

According to the official note from the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, the IGN is the “management center attached to the Undersecretariat (…) that has the competencies to provide official information on astronomy through the National Astronomical Observatory,” both on the specific page about the three eclipses visible in Spain between 2026 and 2028 (Mitma note and [link]) and in the note about digital resources for the August 12, 2026 eclipse (digital eclipse resources). This means that:

• It is the state reference for official astronomical calculations (ephemerides, eclipses, solstices, etc.), as exemplified by the calculation of the start of summer 2026 recorded by Demócrata, which attributes to the National Astronomical Observatory, dependent on the IGN, the exact determination of the solstice (start of summer 2026).
• Its data production is the basis on which other ministries, autonomous communities, and media develop dissemination and planning content.

Observation: network of observatories and monitoring of major phenomena

In the field of observation, official sources highlight that the IGN manages a network of first-class astronomical observatories. The note about the issuance of the stamp dedicated to the eclipse indicates that Transport wanted to “give visibility to the work carried out by observatories and scientific infrastructures,” emphasizing the central role of those managed by the IGN (eclipse stamp). Among them stands out the Yebes Observatory (Guadalajara), designated by the Government as the official center for monitoring the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, from where resources are enabled for national and international broadcasts, according to La Moncloa's activity (Trio of Eclipses meeting). Demócrata news also record this designation and its role in broadcasts (economic impact eclipse and tourism due to eclipse).

Additionally, Demócrata articles about the 2026 eclipse map point out that the IGN offers an interactive viewer that allows following the trajectory of the Moon's shadow over Spain and knowing how the phenomenon will be seen in each municipality (2026 eclipse map). This cartography is part of the CNIG's functions as technical support to the IGN.

Scientific dissemination and public resources

Alongside observation, sources emphasize a very marked competence of the IGN in dissemination and public education about astronomical phenomena:

• The web portal about the “Trio of Eclipses” 2026‑2028, developed by the IGN and CNIG, compiles astronomical information, municipality-based viewers, and divulgative content about eclipses and the cultural history of the phenomenon, within the framework of an “intense scientific dissemination campaign” (Trio of Eclipses and [link]).
• Specific cartographic viewers and the mobile application “IGN Eclipses” have been launched, allowing planning for safe observation of the 2026 eclipse and those of 2027 and 2028, with data on timing, Sun altitude, relief, and weather (IGN viewer).
• The IGN promotes written dissemination materials, such as the downloadable book “Solar Eclipses. The ‘Spanish’ eclipses of 2026, 2027, and 2028,” prepared by OAN astronomers, offering explanations and observation advice ([link]).

The press reports that these campaigns are coordinated with other state and regional dissemination initiatives, such as those promoted by the Ministry of Science through the Interministerial Commission of the Trio of Eclipses, where the National Astronomical Observatory participates (interministerial commission and second meeting).

Safety and observation recommendations

Another aspect associated with the IGN's competencies is the issuance of official safety recommendations for observing astronomical phenomena, especially eclipses. Various Demócrata pieces about the 2026 eclipse indicate that the IGN has begun to disseminate safety protocols to avoid eye damage, emphasizing the use of certified glasses and that conventional sunglasses or homemade filters are not safe (astronomical tourism, certified glasses, observation advice, free glasses, and where to buy glasses).

In summary, the IGN's competencies in observation and dissemination of astronomical phenomena combine three levels: the production of official astronomical data (through the OAN), the management of observation infrastructures (such as Yebes), and the deployment of tools, content, and dissemination and safety protocols so that citizens and other administrations can plan and enjoy these phenomena in an informed and safe manner.

Other cited links

Additional information in the Demócrata newspaper and other institutions: [link], eclipse in Catalonia, observation points, astronomy conferences, [link], Demócrata assessment, planetary alignment, Beta Pictoris d, scientific dissemination, Canary Constellation, digital twin of the Earth, eclipse dress rehearsal, 2026 eclipse guide, commemorative stamp, security deployment, call for caution, fire map, seismic activity in the Canary Islands, National Cartographic Plan, Discovery Portal, comet 3I/ATLAS, Horizonte Eclipse 2026, Balearic commission, night sky film, LSST congress, Cordero y Estrellas, A Coruña viewers, planetarium in Valencia, Atlantic Islands Starlight, Xunta eclipse website, Illas Atlánticas astronomical program, dissemination campaign in Galicia.

Besides the state campaign by the Government and the ONCE Social Group to distribute two million certified glasses, several regional and local administrations have launched their own or complementary initiatives to distribute eclipse glasses. At the autonomous community level, the Community of Madrid and Aragón stand out, having planned direct distributions of glasses within their official devices. In other territories (Galicia, Navarra, Region of Murcia, Valencian Community, major Madrid cities), distribution is mainly organized through municipalities, museums, and sectoral campaigns, but always linked to the same visual prevention logic. Beyond these cases, no other regional mass distribution campaigns similar to the one promoted by ONCE appear in the consulted sources.

State campaign ONCE + Government of Spain

The general framework is the campaign “A Unique View. Take Care of It,” agreed between the Ministry of Science and the ONCE Social Group, which foresees the free distribution of two million certified glasses for the Trio of Eclipses 2026‑2028. According to information from Demócrata and the note collected by Europa Press at [link], ONCE assumes most of the distribution (around 1.7‑2 million units) through its network of vendors throughout the territory, while the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) channels 300,000 glasses to museums and science centers.

Autonomous communities with own or reinforced distribution

Community of Madrid

This is the clearest case of an autonomous initiative added to the ONCE campaign. The Community of Madrid has announced it will make “a total of 36,500 certified glasses available to citizens,” in addition to another 20,000 already distributed at fairs and educational centers, within its device of 52 official observation points and the “Eclipse Festival” in Buitrago de Lozoya, according to its official note at [link]. This is added to municipal distribution in the city of Madrid (planetarium, museums, and libraries), reported by Demócrata at [link] and [link].

Aragón

The Government of Aragón has integrated the distribution of glasses within its specific regional plan for the eclipse. According to Demócrata, within this plan “all Early Childhood and Primary students in the community will receive recommendations to observe the eclipse safely, as well as certified glasses according to current regulations,” in the context of an interdepartmental working group coordinating safety, mobility, and fires ([link]).

Galicia

In Galicia, no massive distribution from the Xunta is detailed, but its direct involvement in the campaign “A Unique View. Take Care of It” is confirmed, presented at the MUNCYT of A Coruña, emphasizing that ONCE will distribute 2 million glasses, according to the Xunta's official note at [link]. Locally, the A Coruña City Council participates by distributing certified glasses in the Science Museums, within the same state campaign, as reported by [link].

Navarra

In Navarra, the most visible action is municipal but with regional collaboration: the Pamplona City Council distributes 7,000 free glasses, with special attention to vulnerable people, in coordination with the Department of University, Innovation, and Digital Transformation of the Government of Navarra, as detailed by Demócrata at [link]. This is effectively a device of the Foral Community supporting the state campaign.

Other relevant initiatives (not purely regional)

Although the question focuses on autonomous communities, sources show a broad network of local campaigns complementing ONCE's action:

• Region of Murcia: the Murcia City Council distributes certified glasses at the Museum of Science and Water and in Summer Schools, in collaboration with the Official College of Opticians-Optometrists ([link], [link]).
• Valencian Community: Valencia distributes certified glasses and launches an awareness campaign within its municipal device for the “eclipse of the century” ([link], [link], [link], [link]).
• San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid): distributes 1,000 certified glasses at its official observation point ([link]).
• A Coruña, already mentioned, as a key Galician node of the state campaign.

In summary, besides the national distribution by ONCE and the Government, the only autonomous communities that, according to available sources, have articulated their own large-scale distribution of glasses are the Community of Madrid and Aragón, while Galicia and Navarra have been involved through joint campaigns with ONCE and their municipalities. The rest of the effort is concentrated in municipal networks, museums, and scientific entities that execute the state free distribution campaign on the ground.