A solar eclipse is a rare and beautiful astronomic phenomenon as the orbiting moon blocks out the sun, making twilight out of a sunny day. A total solar eclipse is even more special, like the one on April 8 that can be observed along a narrow swath of land from Mexico, through the United States and Canada in Niagara, the St. Lawrence valley, New Brunswick, Cape Breton and Newfoundland.
Witnessing a total solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and a spectacle that millions of people think will be worth travelling for. It is certainly worth preparing for, and one key aspect relates to safety: looking at the sun for any length of time can cause damage to your eyes.
Read more: Total solar eclipses, while stunning, can damage your eyes if viewed without the right protection
When we look at anything, the lens in our eye focuses the light on the retina at the back of the eye. The retina contains the sensitive cells that turn light into electrical signals sent to our brain, allowing us to see. When we look at the sun at full strength, the amount of light is too much, and these cells can be damaged in a mechanism called solar retinopathy. Your eyes aren’t burned, but the blue light can cause a chemical reaction that can permanently damage the retina.
The sun is not more dangerous during the eclipse — what is dangerous is our curiosity to look at the sun for a longer amount of time. It is remarkable how little sunlight it takes to make looking at the sun........