4 ms·

Does anyone know of the pros and cons of using these glasses vs using a pinhole camera?

by fny 9y ago

Stratoscope 9y ago
Experienced eclipse watcher here. For the partial eclipse, I recommend a pinhole projector instead of eclipse glasses, especially for children but for adults too. It is 100% safe, because you never look directly at the sun. For the total eclipse during totality, the only way to view it is with no eye protection at all. You won't see a thing with eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector. And binoculars are highly recommended for a magnificent view of the solar corona. You do have to make sure to stop watching as soon as the "diamond ring" or "Baily's beads" appear. Totality is over then. I posted more details here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15006190 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15006190
- toxican 9y ago
  I was under the impression that the diamond ring is what makes it so dangerous to look at an eclipse with naked eyes. Because your eyes adjust to the darkness and in an instant it's flooded with a fuckton of sunlight.
  - Stratoscope 9y ago
    There is definitely some truth to that. You wouldn't want to keep staring at the diamond ring! Or any of the partial eclipse. This is anecdata, but I viewed the 1979 total eclipse with binoculars, and when the diamond ring and Baily's beads appeared at the end of totality, I kept looking at them with the binoculars for a few seconds longer than I should have. It didn't damage my vision in the slightest. I'm not saying I recommend that! But if you look away the moment they appear, you will be fine. Otherwise organizations like NASA and the American Astronomical Society wouldn't recommend viewing the total eclipse with binoculars. For some more reputable sources than my own anecdotes, I posted several links in a couple of Reddit comments a while back: https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_the_solar_eclipse_is_already_altering/dl69aej/ https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_t... https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_the_solar_eclipse_is_already_altering/dl62ve8/ https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_t... I was also involved in a discussion in this Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6lyei5/before_eclipse_glasses_and_safety_knowledge_did/ https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6lyei5/befor... You don't want to risk your vision at all, of course, but in other recent eclipses, many people were too cautious and based their decisions on fear, as happened to this astronomer when he was a child: http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/35055369/i-was-robbed-of-my-eclipse-experience-dont-let-that-happen-to-you http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/35055369/i-was-robbed-of-my-ecli... One other thing I forgot to mention: if you are viewing the total eclipse, don't bother taking pictures! Totality will end all too soon, and the time you spend fiddling with your camera is time you won't get to experience the eclipse.
jerf 9y ago
Well, a pinhole camera can be verified safe by simple inspection, which is an advantage it has over all the putative eclipse glasses.... Although it's certainly less visceral. Given the people saying that totality is safe to view without glasses, and that totality is the real show (alas, I'm not going to catch this one, though I'm hoping to catch the next one... I don't quite live in that one's path, but it's a close thing), I think I'd find myself inclined to go pinhole camera + naked eye at totality with care to look away before the sun returns.

Does anyone know of the pros and cons of using these glasses vs using a pinhole camera?

by fny 9y ago

Does anyone know of the pros and cons of using these glasses vs using a pinhole camera?

Experienced eclipse watcher here. For the partial eclipse, I recommend a pinhole projector instead of eclipse glasses, especially for children but for adults too. It is 100% safe, because you never look directly at the sun. For the total eclipse during totality, the only way to view it is with no eye protection at all. You won't see a thing with eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector. And binoculars are highly recommended for a magnificent view of the solar corona. You do have to make sure to stop watching as soon as the "diamond ring" or "Baily's beads" appear. Totality is over then. I posted more details here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15006190 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15006190

toxican 9y ago
I was under the impression that the diamond ring is what makes it so dangerous to look at an eclipse with naked eyes. Because your eyes adjust to the darkness and in an instant it's flooded with a fuckton of sunlight.
- Stratoscope 9y ago
  There is definitely some truth to that. You wouldn't want to keep staring at the diamond ring! Or any of the partial eclipse. This is anecdata, but I viewed the 1979 total eclipse with binoculars, and when the diamond ring and Baily's beads appeared at the end of totality, I kept looking at them with the binoculars for a few seconds longer than I should have. It didn't damage my vision in the slightest. I'm not saying I recommend that! But if you look away the moment they appear, you will be fine. Otherwise organizations like NASA and the American Astronomical Society wouldn't recommend viewing the total eclipse with binoculars. For some more reputable sources than my own anecdotes, I posted several links in a couple of Reddit comments a while back: https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_the_solar_eclipse_is_already_altering/dl69aej/ https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_t... https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_the_solar_eclipse_is_already_altering/dl62ve8/ https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/6rkqr0/the_path_of_t... I was also involved in a discussion in this Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6lyei5/before_eclipse_glasses_and_safety_knowledge_did/ https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6lyei5/befor... You don't want to risk your vision at all, of course, but in other recent eclipses, many people were too cautious and based their decisions on fear, as happened to this astronomer when he was a child: http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/35055369/i-was-robbed-of-my-eclipse-experience-dont-let-that-happen-to-you http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/35055369/i-was-robbed-of-my-ecli... One other thing I forgot to mention: if you are viewing the total eclipse, don't bother taking pictures! Totality will end all too soon, and the time you spend fiddling with your camera is time you won't get to experience the eclipse.

jerf 9y ago

Well, a pinhole camera can be verified safe by simple inspection, which is an advantage it has over all the putative eclipse glasses.... Although it's certainly less visceral. Given the people saying that totality is safe to view without glasses, and that totality is the real show (alas, I'm not going to catch this one, though I'm hoping to catch the next one... I don't quite live in that one's path, but it's a close thing), I think I'd find myself inclined to go pinhole camera + naked eye at totality with care to look away before the sun returns.