Sunday, August 20, 2017

Listen people, don't stare at the sun, not even tomorrow.


There are many ways to safely observe tomorrow's eclipse, but staring straight at it, even while wearing sunglasses, isn't one of them.  Here's an interview with a guy who looked at one in 1962, leaving him with scorched retinas for life: The Time Interview.

It's odd to have to say this, but just a couple of days ago I overhead a grown man saying "I don't think staring at the eclipse can burn your eyes because they're full of water."  No, really, I actually heard this.  So for the folks up in the cheap seats, let's spell this one out:
– UV radiation coming straight from the direction of the Sun is plentiful during a full eclipse, partial eclipse, or just an ordinary day.  Any of this can damage your eyes.
– The "burn" that can occur means "to sear a spot on your retinas so that they no longer work."  It doesn't mean "burst into flames" or anything else dramatic like that.
– It will "hurt your eyes" in the sense of "damage irreparably," not "hurt" in the sense of "you experience pain."  It's over quickly, and isn't all that painful at the time from what I've heard.  
– The effects are permanent.  Your doctor doesn't have any magic eyedrops to fix this one.
– Regular sunglasses are not sufficient protection.

OK, that's how not to do it.  Here are some links on the right way to observe this eclipse, from:
NASA
space.com
a pinhole projector (that's what I'll be doing)

Got that?  OK, enjoy the sight tomorrow.  And hopefully, enjoy your sight for the rest of your life.

ps and just for fun: Watching Animals Watch the Eclipse, over at Atlas Obscura.
pps: Time-lapse of a 2012 eclipse in Australia, over at APOD.  Yes, it's OK to stare at your computer screen while watching this.

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