• Question: Why is an eclipse more harmful to look at than just the sun?

    Asked by conn207 to Antonia, Douglas, Hugh, Matt, Tom on 14 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Matthew Hurley

      Matthew Hurley answered on 13 Jun 2010:

      I don’t think it is, is it? Aren’t they both just as dangerous, but people look at an eclipse for a longer period of time and as the light re-emerges they continue to look and burn the backs of their eyes, sometimes tragically forever. Looking straight at the sun does the same (but it hurts more).

    • Photo: Douglas Blane

      Douglas Blane answered on 13 Jun 2010:

      Looking at the sun is bad anyway cos more energy gets into your eye than it’s ‘designed’ to cope with. But do it on an ordinary day and the pupil of your eye will get smaller to try to stop too much light getting in. It won’t manage it completely, but it’ll try.

      During an eclipse it gets dark, so your pupils get bigger to let more light in and help you see in the dark. Then the moon moves on and a big blast of sunlight bursts out and hits you right in the retina – the sensitive part inside the back of your eye.

    • Photo: Tom Hardy

      Tom Hardy answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      This is a difficult one. The Sun itself isn’t actually more harmful. During an eclipse the Sun is still the Sun and isn’t any stronger or brighter than normal.

      It is actually how the eye deals with the image that causes the problem and makes it more dangerous. Imagine looking at the Sun on a normal bright day, you can’t look at it, well not for very long. Your eyes automatically close and you look away. That is your body protecting itself. It is like a reflex action that you cannot control. Our bodies have developed this to prevent us damaging our eyes.

      The problem with an eclipse is that when the Moon passes in front of the Sun less of the Sun is visible and this can mean that the reflex action doesn’t work as well and we can look at the Sun for longer. But the part of the Sun that is viable can still do a great deal of harm to our eyes.

    • Photo: Antonia Hamilton

      Antonia Hamilton answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      I think just because you are tempted to look for longer, and might not realise how it is damaging your eyes

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