A pinhole projection is the cheapest and safest way to view the Aug.
Here are some tips for safe viewing of the eclipse, from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
A person would have to stare at the sun for up to a full minute to suffer permanent damage to the retina. The symptoms usually disappear in a few hours or days. Typically, solar damage results in pain inside the eyes, blurred vision, altered color vision, and dark spots, according to the organization Prevent Blindness. It’s like having macular degeneration.’’ĭepending on the length of exposure, the sun’s intense ultraviolent radiation damages cells, much like a sunburn on the skin. “So if you damage them, you’ll possibly have a permanent blind spot in the center of your vision. “Essentially, you can overload and damage the photo receptors that accept colors and send messages to your brain,’’ Slonim said. Respectively, these can lead to cataracts or damage to the macula – the central part of the retina that focuses images at the back of the eye. Looking at the sun without protection, even during a partial eclipse, can cause conditions known as photokeratitis and solar retinopathy. People in Tampa Bay can enjoy the height of the partial eclipse at 2:49 p.m. Residents of Carbondale, Ill., will enjoy the best show, when the total eclipse is longest – 2 minutes, 42 seconds. The path of totality – where the moon’s shadow covers the disc of the sun – will traverse from Oregon to South Carolina in 93 minutes, plunging parts of 13 states into semi-darkness. “But in Florida we’re only having a partial eclipse, so if you look at the sun (unaided) it can damage the eyes.’’ “In a total eclipse, you can look at it because you’ll only see the outside edge of the sun,’’ he said.
Charles Slonim, an ophthalmologist at Tampa General Hospital and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Without the proper eclipse glasses or solar filters, viewing the event can be risky, said Dr. Doctors nonetheless warn of the potential dangers on August 21, when millions across the United States gaze skyward to observe the total solar eclipse. Fortunately, doing so is extremely painful, so most people look away before experiencing serious eye damage. Good advice, as staring at that ball of gas in the sky is a good way to fry your retinas. One of the first things a parent teaches a child is common sense: never look directly at the sun.