Why aren't you supposed to look at the sun during a solar eclipse?

Answer 1

Since the painful brightness of the sun is blocked by the moon during a solar eclipse, people who look at the event directly will not realize that the invisible ultraviolet rays will quickly do permanent damage to their eyes.

Answer 2

It's unsafe to look at the Sun at all times. It may be safe to look at the Sun at certain times during a complete solar eclipse but considering that if you get it wrong, you will be blinded, it is not really worth the risk.

Answer 3

You should not look at the sun at any time: it emits such intense light that it can damage your eyes. You are especially advised not to look at the sun during an eclipse because you will be tempted to look at it.

Answer 4

It's never safe to look directly at the sun, even if some of it appears to be missing.

There's nothing unusually dangerous about the radiation from the sun during an eclipse.

The danger is that during an eclipse, the sun takes on a weird shape, people become

curious, and they're more likely to stand there and stare at it. Unfortunately, as damage

is being done to the retina of your eye, you don't feel it, and you don't know that anything

is happening. All you know is that suddenly, you can't see anything right in the middle,

and then it's too late.

If you've ever used a magnifying glass to focus the sun into a tiny spot and burn

a leaf or roast an ant, remember that the same thing goes on inside your eye

when you stare at the sun. Even if some of the sun is "missing".

Answer 5

Looking directly at the Sun is generally a bad idea, because only a fraction-of-a-second of sunlight directly into the eye can cause permanent blindness or eye damage.

The interesting part of a solar eclipse isn't the point of totality; it is the "diamond ring" effect just before and after totality. In order to see this, you MUST have good eye protection. Eclipse goggles are available from many science stores, and welder's goggles will also work.

Answer 6

Looking directly at the sun at any time can harm your eyes. During an eclipse you will be tempted to look at the sun.

Answer 7

If you look directly at the solar eclipse your eyes will not hurt but it dameges a part of your eyes and you will get blind.