Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include an exterior mounted skylight solar shade configured to reduce solar heat gain and glare into the interior space of a building. The skylight shade may have a support skeleton including a plurality of side frame sections, arced frame sections engaging with and extending upwardly from the side frame sections, arced supports attached to the side frame sections, and a center support configured to engage with the arced frame sections and the arced supports, and a solar shade material stretched over the support skeleton. The assembly is configured to attach to a skylight frame such that the shade material is kept a distance from a skylight lens, creating an airflow passageway between the skylight lens and the solar shade material and may have a height of from about 1.5 to about 2 inches between the skylight lens and the shade material at its tallest point.