ET on Monday. But those who watch this rare celestial event in person need to take precautions, because staring right at the sun can quickly harm your eyes.
The path of totality, which is about 70 miles wide, is viewable from parts of 14 states, as shown on this solar eclipse map , and only lasts a maximum of two minutes and 40 seconds, according to NASA. Before and after the total solar eclipse, those in its path will see a partial eclipse, in which the moon only partly blocks the sun.
The rest of the country will also see a partial eclipse — so essentially, everyone needs to prepare themselves to view the eclipse safely. According to experts, viewing the sun with your naked eye during the eclipse can burn your retina, damaging the images your brain can view.
It is not possible to go completely blind from looking at the eclipse, Chou said, because the injury is limited to the central part of your visual field. So, while it might be tough to go totally blind by looking at an eclipse, doing so without proper protection could leave a long-lasting stain on your vision.
The only safe way to view an eclipse , according to NASA, is to use specially designed sun filters, often available at telescope stores, or to wear No.
Pinhole viewers — essentially a hole in a piece of cardboard or paper — can also be used to view the eclipse indirectly by casting a shadow of the sun on the ground or on a screen.
If you don't have certified eclipse viewers, you can also make a pinhole camera viewer that will allow you to see the eclipse without looking at the sun directly. Originally published on Live Science. Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science covering topics from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. A freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, she also regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association.
Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Live Science. The eclipses we are most familiar with fall into two main categories: lunar eclipses and solar eclipses. This type of eclipse poses no danger to the observer since you are just looking at light hitting the moon, not directly at a source of light. A solar eclipse, on the other hand, is quite dangerous to look at directly. This type of eclipse occurs when part of the earth is covered in a shadow cast by the moon as it passes in front of the sun.
The only safe time to look at an eclipse is during the totality. In fact, looking at the sun during a solar eclipse can literally burn your retina and make you go blind. It can cause a condition called solar retinopathy , which is when solar radiation damages the eyes. It can even lead to permanent blind spots or distortions in your vision.
This damage occurs when people underestimate the sun, thinking that an eclipse blocks enough of its light for it to be safe to look at. In reality, solar radiation remains dangerous during an eclipse. These are dangerous misconceptions. You should always use proper eyewear if you want to look at an eclipse. Always make sure you and those around you know how to safely use the glasses.
Children are especially at risk for improperly looking at an eclipse. Most solar eclipses are partial solar eclipses. As the name implies, a partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon does not completely cover the sun. At no point is it safe to look directly at such an eclipse without eye protection. The reason you should not look at the sun even when it is partially obscured is solar radiation.
Your eye uses a lens, the retina, to see.
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