What Are the Safety Facts?
A total solar eclipse is beautiful, but can also be dangerous to your eyes. When the sun is COMPLETELY covered by the moon and only the corona is visible, it is safe to look at it without protection.
YOU CAN LOOK at the totally eclipsed Sun when the sky is dark and only the corona is visible.
But, during a PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE or the partial phase of a total solar eclipse, looking directly at the Sun without any type of protection can BURN a part of your eye called the retina. You wouldn’t even feel the burn happening, but the damage done would last forever.
If you prepare ahead, you can view the partial eclipse safely!
There are only a few safe ways to watch a partial solar eclipse. One is with a pair of approved eclipse glasses, an eclipse viewer that you can buy, or with a pinhole camera. The eclipse may also be televised and it is safe to watch a solar eclipse on television.
Click here to learn how to make a pinhole projector
Rules for Observing a Solar Eclipse
No matter how tempting it might be to glance at the Sun, DON’T DO IT. Looking at the Sun at any time can permanently damage your eyes.
- DO NOT LOOK at the Sun through sunglasses, exposed film, or smoked glass.
- DO NOT LOOK at the Sun through a telescope or binoculars.
- DO NOT LOOK at the Sun at any time, even when the Moon is partially blocking the Sun’s light. There is still danger of damaging your eyes.
- YOU CAN VIEW the eclipse of the Sun using a pinhole camera.
- No matter how tempting it might be to glance at the Sun during the partial eclipse before or after TOTALITY, DON’T DO IT. Looking at the Sun at any time can permanently damage your eyes.
- YOU CAN LOOK at the totally eclipsed Sun when the sky is dark and only the corona is visible.
