What’s so special about the sunlight during an eclipse? Isn’t it the same old sunlight we see the rest of the time?
Yes, it is, but because the event is so interesting to look at, and because the normally blinding solar disk is partly blocked out, the temptation is to look, and look, and look. See “Chemistry explains why you shouldn’t stare at the solar eclipse without proper protection” (C&ENews, print 21 Aug 2017, online 14 Aug 2017).
The article explains the photochemical events that trigger retinal damage (the “heat” of the sunlight is not to blame) and it describes several options for safe viewing of the Sun. Here’s a bit from the article: (more…)