at a lunar or solar eclipse?... i know there is a lunar eclipse coming up either tonight or tomorrow night and im not sure the difference between the two. Can anyone help?
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answers:
tham153 say: No eclipse is dangerous. This is just ignorant nonsense. I've seen over a dozen lunar eclipses, and six solar, and am alive, healthy, and fully sighted at age 78.
Ordinarily most sane people will not stare at the Sun. An eclipse of the Sun will tempt staring. During the partial phases this can damage your eyes. During totality you have a rock 2160 miles across (the Moon) blocking the Sun. Perfectly safe to observe while the Moon is in the way
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Caleb say: Solar eclipses you have to look at with special glasses.
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Tom S say: It is the Sun which should not be looked at due to its brightness. Nothing directly to do with eclipses.
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nineteenthly say: Looking at a lunar eclipse is fine. Looking at a solar eclipse harms eyesight because it fools the eye into opening the pupil wider than is appropriate, leading to the retina becoming damaged by the light level.
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Raymond say: Solar.
Because looking at the Sun for any length of time is dangerous for the retina.
Period.
Normally, when your eyes turn towards the Sun (even accidentally), a reflex makes you turn away rather rapidly.
However, during a solar eclipse... you want to see what is going on, so you force yourself to stare... and bingo, damage happens. Will it be temporary damage or permanent damage, depends on the time of staring and on the health of your eyes.
It does not matter is the Moon is blocking (let's say) 3/4 of the Sun, the tiny part still exposed is bright enough to cause damage.
The Moon, even when Full, is not bright enough to cause damage. During a lunar eclipse, it receives even less light from the Sun (because Earth gets in the way) so it becomes even less dangerous during the eclipse.
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