Why can I watch the sun setting but it is dangerous to watch an eclipse ?

Question

Would it be possible to see a total eclipse setting ? That would be well worth seeing.

Answer 1

I’ve seen a total eclipse of the sun from my latitude at 7 one morning, which is almost the same scenario as a sun setting. And yes, you can see it with the naked eye much as you would look to the sunset. But both are a bit dangerous anyway.
It’s not looking to the sun what is to be avoided. It’s to stare at the sun for too long. A few seconds are long enough to cause permanent damage. That’s why there’s a natural reflex that will prevent you doing something harmful.
Why can you take a long look to the setting sun? Same reason that makes it reddish. Shorter wavelengths are being filtered by the atmosphere, since rays have to travel a longer path when hitting horizontally. If the eclipse happens in your meridian in midday hours, harmful radiation can’t be properly blocked. It's too short a path.

Answer 2

It is not more dangerous, is it simply dangerous. Never, ever look directly at the Sun! This is more than advice. Why? As a kid, did you ever take a magnifying glass out into the sun and burn leaves? If so, you probably remember that when the focused sunlight coming through the lens was refracted and concentrated to a small spot, the energy available there was truly remarkable. Guess what? You have a lens just like that in your eye. If you look at the sun, your eye-lens will concentrate the sun's light and focus it to a very small spot on the back of your retina. This can cause permanent eye damage or blindness. Additionally, there are no pain sensors back there so you won't even know it's happening! Have I scared the willies out of you? Good! Looking during an eclipse is is neither more nor less dangerous that looking any other time. It is just that people think that it is less dangerous and do it a lot, then when they catch a little bit of the sun they can have serious damage.

Answer 3

When the sun is at its zenith, high vertically above you in the sky, the amount of UV rays are much more intense as the distance through the atmosphere is thinner, and more UV is getting through to your eye.

More than when the sun is setting, the rays are travelling through the atmosphere at an angle, thus the thickest part of the atmosphere in relation to your eyes, and most of the light is asorbed, with only the yellow - red end of the spectrum reaches your eye, and it can slowly adjust to the dimming light.

However, an eclipse makes it go darker and when your eye has reacted, it is suddenly bright again, before your iris can close to protect your eye. Also the little light you do get has the full spectrum including UV - you are effectively looking directly at the sun in what is most likely a time of day when it is brightest.
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Eclipses on the horizon are similar to an early sunset, and you would not be able to see much going on, due to the greater distance between you and the moon. Since our moon is in orbit around the earth, you would also have to be on a line with the total eclipse to get this reaction. being above the zone or below the zone of total eclipse, would only give you a corona effect of dimness, and a particial eclipse, which at such a distance would not be really noticable.

Answer 4

Firstly, it is always dangerous to look at the sun. Sometimes a polluted atmosphere can make it seem easy to look at the sun at sunset, but you should still avoid it.

Total eclipses last only a few minutes. The chances of you seeing an eclipse from a location are small anyway, so the chances of there being one at the time of sunset or sunrise are very remote. If you were a millionaire and could hop on a plane and go anywhere you might be able to achieve it. But it would not be as dramatic as a total eclipse during full daylight.

Answer 5

When the sun is high in the sky, the amount of UV rays are much more intense than when the sun is setting. Think of it this way, do you get more sun around noon or at 6 at night? Since the rays are so much more powerful during the daylight hours, and an eclipse makes it seem darker than it actually is, you are effectively looking directly at the sun in what is most likely a time of day when it is brightest. Another way to think of it is, go outside and stare at the sun at noon and then again at 6pm. Same principle regardless of whether or not there is a moon in front of it. If there were an eclipse late in the day, it would be more visible without as much harm. Never seen one though.

Answer 6

Looking at an eclipse itself isn't dangerous. The moon blocks out the bright disc of the sun and it can be very pretty (from what I've heard). The problem is that because it isn't bright at that time, your pupils will have dilated and when the eclipse starts to end and the sun starts shining out from behind the moon again, your eyes will take in that light with dilated pupils and this can damage them. That is why it is unwise to stare at an eclipse unprotected.

Answer 7

The problem is that your eyes in an eclipse are adapted to the dark of night for in a full eclipse it gets very dark. When the edge of the sun peeks out from behind the moon your eye will suddenly get much more light than your eye is capable of dealing with. your pupil does not shrink fast enough to protect the interior of the eye from damage.

Answer 8

both are dodgy
its about the amounts of radiation/light that strike the earth
the suns force is less potent at sunset than at a peak time of the day during an eclipse
another source of danger is ultra violet also more potent during the day
never heard of an eclipse at setting but yes would b very cool

Answer 9

Looking at the sun can make you blind. Especially page 3

Answer 10

second question no.
it would be dangerous if you used binoculars or a telescope because of the very bright corona light and any stage of the eclipse.