But don’t be tempted by the Moon’s perceived protection and risk solar retinopathy or serious, potentially blinding damage. in your eyes. You might find yourself with a permanent reminder of a stupid decision – one that you can never look away from.
The risk of solar retinopathy is increased during solar eclipses, Space.com reported, because the reduced brightness of the sky makes it more comfortable to gaze at the sun. That means people may miss the warning signs — like rapid blinking or eye discomfort — that normally accompany looking at a ball of gas burning at 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
You might be thinking, “Well, former President Donald Trump watched the eclipse in 2017, and it looked good, so it’ll probably be okay for me too.”
You will not be.
You might also think that the New Jersey earthquake is somehow related to the eclipse or that normal natural phenomena are somehow unpredictable and/or rare.
They are not.
According to NASA, although the brief total phase of the eclipse – when the moon completely blocks the sun – can be observed safely, sunlight will shine for most of the duration of the eclipse as the moon passes in front of her.
However, this guideline applies specifically to people in the path of totality, which in the case of this eclipse, crosses the country diagonally, from Texas to Maine.
Most Americans, like Trump in 2017, will find themselves outside of this trajectory when the eclipse occurs. Apart from this path, there will be no safe time to look at the sun with naked eyes.
The path of totality for this year’s Great American Eclipse will begin in Texas and travel across the eastern United States to Maine. NASA Science Visualization Studio
Coastal elites: you have been warned.
And don’t even think about looking at the sun with a glass viewing lens that doesn’t have a “special solar filter,” NASA says. This would cause “serious eye injury”. It’s like when a bored but nefarious child sets an ant on fire with a magnifying glass – except in this scenario, the ant is your eyes.
You don’t want your balls to be the ant.
NASA says solar viewing glasses – “eclipse glasses” – or a safe portable solar viewer are the way to go. And NASA doesn’t care how cool your sunglasses look: sunglasses are nowhere near protective enough.
Mrs. and Mr. Trump demonstrate correct posture and equipment for viewing the eclipse. Andrew Harnik
The American Astronomical Society has a list of eclipse-approved eye protection and warns consumers to avoid potential counterfeits. If your mother Temu shows up with a pack of eclipse glasses, you might want to take them away from her.
“We do not recommend searching for Eclipse glasses on Amazon, eBay, Temu or any other online marketplace and purchasing from the supplier offering the lowest price,” the AAS writes. “Before purchasing a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you ensure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page.”
Finally, for those who are still tempted to risk everything to admire the sun, be warned: Tucker Carlson might call you “impressive” for doing so.
businessinsider
