When Can You Look at a Solar Eclipse

Eye Safety / How to View a Solar Eclipse Safely

How to View a Solar Eclipse Safely

Looking directly at the Sun is unsafe except during the brief full phase ("totality") of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon entirely blocks the Sun's vivid face, which happensonly within the narrow path of totality. To find out whether your home or any other specific location is within the roughly 115-mile-wide path of the April 8, 2024, North American total solar eclipse, encounter Xavier Jubier's Google Map, which supports zooming in to street level.

During a fractional or annular (ring) solar eclipse, such as the ane on October xiv, 2023 in the Americas, at that place is no time when information technology is safe to look directly at the Sun without using a special-purpose solar filter that complies with the transmission requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international standard.

The just rubber way to expect direct at the uneclipsed, partially eclipsed, or annularly eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such every bit "eclipse glasses" (example shown at left) or handheld solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very nighttime ones, are non safe for looking at the Sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight. Run across our Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers page for a list of manufacturers and authorized dealers of eclipse spectacles and handheld solar viewers verified to be compliant with the manual requirements of the ISO 12312-2 international safe standard for such products.

Instructions for safe use of solar filters/viewers:

• Ever audit your solar filter before use; if scratched, punctured, torn, or otherwise damaged, discard information technology. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.
• Always supervise children using solar filters.
• If yous normally wear eyeglasses, go along them on. Put your eclipse glasses on over them, or concord your handheld viewer in front of them.
• Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse spectacles or solar viewer earlier looking up at the bright Sun. After looking at the Sunday, turn away and remove your filter — do not remove it while looking at the Sun.
• Practice not look at the uneclipsed, partially eclipsed, or annularly eclipsed Sun through an unfiltered photographic camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device.
• Similarly, do not look at the Sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays could damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury.
• Seek good advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, telescope, binoculars, or whatever other optical device; note that solar filters must be fastened to thefront of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens, or other optics.
• If you are inside the path of totality on April 8, 2024, remove your solar filter only when the Moon completely covers the Sun's bright face and it suddenly gets quite dark. Experience totality, then, equally before long equally the vivid Sun begins to reappear, supercede your solar viewer to look at the remaining fractional phases. Note that this applies only to viewing without optical aid (other than ordinary eyeglasses). Different rules apply when viewing or imaging the Sunday through camera lenses, binoculars, or telescopes; consult an expert astronomer before using a solar filter with whatever type of magnifying optics.
• Exterior the path of totality, and throughout a fractional or annular solar eclipse, you mustever use a rubber solar filter to view the Lord's day direct.

Notation: If your eclipse glasses or viewers are compliant with manual requirements of the ISO 12312-2 safety standard, yous may expect at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Dominicus through them for as long as you wish. Furthermore, if the filters aren't scratched, punctured, or torn, you may reuse them indefinitely. Some glasses/viewers are printed with warnings stating that you shouldn't look through them for more than 3 minutes at a time and that you lot should discard them if they are more than three years old. Such warnings are outdated and do not apply to eclipse viewers manufactured since 2015, compliant with the ISO 12312-ii standard adopted that year, and in excellent condition. To make sure yous get (or got) your eclipse glasses/viewers from a supplier of ISO-compliant products, meet our Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers page.

An alternative method for prophylactic viewing of the partially eclipsed Sun is indirectly via pinhole projection. For example, cantankerous the outstretched, slightly open up fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other, creating a waffle pattern. With your dorsum to the Sun, look at your hands' shadow on the footing. The little spaces between your fingers will project a grid of small images on the ground, showing the Sun as a crescent during the partial phases of whatever solar eclipse or equally a band during the annular phase of an annular eclipse. Or just expect at the shadow of a leafy tree during a partial or annular eclipse; you'll see the ground dappled with crescent or ring-shaped Suns projected by the tiny spaces between the leaves.

A solar eclipse is one of nature's grandest spectacles. Past following these uncomplicated rules, yous can safely enjoy the view and be rewarded with memories to last a lifetime.

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This safe data has been endorsed by the American Astronomical Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Clan, and the National Science Foundation.

Note: This spider web page does not plant medical advice. Readers with medical questions should contact a qualified eye-care professional.

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More eclipse condom tips from the AAS:

• Eyewear & Handheld Viewers
• Project: Pinhole & Optical
• Solar Filters for Optics: Telescopes, Binoculars & Cameras
• How to Tell If Your Eclipse Glasses or Handheld Solar Viewers Are Safe
• Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers
• Detailed Technical Report on Solar Eclipse Middle Prophylactic

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Source: https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety

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