A newly discovered comet was photographed flying past the sun during the solar eclipse&nbsp;witnessed by Chile and Argentina.

The comet called&nbsp;C/2020 X3&nbsp;was first spotted by Thai novice space expert Worachate Boonplod in satellite information on December 13, a day prior to the overshadowing, NASA said on Saturday.&nbsp;

He was participating in the NASA-supported Sungrazer Project — a resident science venture that welcomes anybody to look for new comets in pictures from the joint European Space Agency and NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO.&nbsp;

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/solar-eclipse-plunges-south-america-into-darkness-for-two-minutes-349881">Solar eclipse plunges South America into darkness for two minutes</a>

The comet, named C/2020 X3 (SOHO), is known as a Kreutz sungrazer, NASA said. This group of comets began from a huge parent comet that split up into more modest pieces well over 1,000 years back. The sungrazers keep on orbitting around the sun today.&nbsp;

Boonplod realized the overshadowing was coming and was anxious to see whether his new comet revelation may show up in the sun's external environment.&nbsp;

A satellite picture of the sun, shaded in red, shows a splendid bit of light circling the Sun. Around the time the overshadowing picture was taken, the comet was going at approximately 450,000 miles for every hour, about 2.7 million miles from the sun's surface, NASA said.&nbsp;

The comet was around 50 feet (15 meters) in breadth — about the length of a semi-truck, NASA said. It at that point broke down to tidy particles because of serious solar radiation, a couple of hours prior to arriving at its nearest highlight the sun.&nbsp;

Individuals in Chile and Argentina were blessed to receive the last absolute sunlight based shroud of 2020 last Monday. During an absolute sun powered shroud, the moon totally hinders the sun aside from the sun's external climate, called the crown, to make a lovely ring of light.&nbsp;

Kreutz sungrazer comets are most ordinarily found in SOHO pictures. The space observatory's camera works by copying complete solar radiation shrouds: A strong circle shut out the generally blinding light of the sun, uncovering dimmer highlights in its external environment and other divine articles like comets.&nbsp;

Until now, 4,108 comets have been found in SOHO pictures, with this comet being the 3,524th Kreutz sungrazer spotted, NASA said.&nbsp;

To the extent is known, no comets have ever really been believed to hit the sun-based surface, or the photosphere, the European Space Agency said.&nbsp;

The Kreutz sungrazers get to inside around 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) of the surface, simply going through the lower locales of the sun oriented air (the crown). Most generally vanish in the hot sun based environment.

A newly discovered comet was photographed flying past the sun during the solar eclipse witnessed by Chile and Argentina. The comet called C/2020 X3 was first spotted by Thai novice space expert Worachate Boonplod in satellite information on December 13, a day prior to the overshadowing, NASA said on Saturday.

A newly discovered comet was photographed flying past the sun during the solar eclipse witnessed by Chile and Argentina. The comet called C/2020 X3 was first spotted by Thai novice space expert Worachate Boonplod in satellite information on December 13, a day prior to the overshadowing, NASA said on Saturday. He was participating in the NASA-supported Sungrazer Project — a resident science venture that welcomes anybody to look for new comets in pictures from the joint European Space Agency and NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO. Also see: Solar eclipse plunges South America into darkness for two minutes The comet, named C/2020 X3 (SOHO), is known as a Kreutz sungrazer, NASA said. This group of comets began from a huge parent comet that split up into more modest pieces well over 1,000 years back. The sungrazers keep on orbitting around the sun today. Boonplod realized the overshadowing was coming and was anxious to see whether his new comet revelation may show up in the sun's external environment. A satellite picture of the sun, shaded in red, shows a splendid bit of light circling the Sun. Around the time the overshadowing picture was taken, the comet was going at approximately 450,000 miles for every hour, about 2.7 million miles from the sun's surface, NASA said. The comet was around 50 feet (15 meters) in breadth — about the length of a semi-truck, NASA said. It at that point broke down to tidy particles because of serious solar radiation, a couple of hours prior to arriving at its nearest highlight the sun. Individuals in Chile and Argentina were blessed to receive the last absolute sunlight based shroud of 2020 last Monday. During an absolute sun powered shroud, the moon totally hinders the sun aside from the sun's external climate, called the crown, to make a lovely ring of light. Kreutz sungrazer comets are most ordinarily found in SOHO pictures. The space observatory's camera works by copying complete solar radiation shrouds: A strong circle shut out the generally blinding light of the sun, uncovering dimmer highlights in its external environment and other divine articles like comets. Until now, 4,108 comets have been found in SOHO pictures, with this comet being the 3,524th Kreutz sungrazer spotted, NASA said. To the extent is known, no comets have ever really been believed to hit the sun-based surface, or the photosphere, the European Space Agency said. The Kreutz sungrazers get to inside around 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) of the surface, simply going through the lower locales of the sun oriented air (the crown). Most generally vanish in the hot sun based environment.

Newly discovered comet captured flying past the sun during solar eclipse

Solar eclipse plunges South America into darkness for two minutes

The last solar eclipse of 2020 will be visible on December 14 from 7.03 pm (IST) to 12:23 am (IST).

Solar eclipse 2020 will be visible in Chile, Argentina, South-West Africa and Antarctica where the sun will be completely blocked.

Different spots in the Pacific, Atlantic and the Indian Ocean will likewise have the option to see the eclipse.&nbsp;

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the Sun’s rays and casting a shadow on parts of Earth. It occurs twice a year but can go up to five times in very rare scenarios.

The current year's all-out sun powered shroud won't be noticeable in India as the Sun would have been set for the day when the heavenly occasion starts.

The magnitude of the&nbsp;eclipse is 1.02 and will keep going for a length of 2 minutes and 10 seconds with the Sun totally covered with the Moon's shadow. Individuals have been encouraged to not straightforwardly take a gander at the Sun during the overshadowing as it can cause extreme eye harm. The individuals who wish to take an immediate perspective on the overshadowing should utilize satisfactory assurance, for example, obscure glasses or a pinhole projector.

The previous&nbsp;solar eclipse of the year was an annular&nbsp;solar eclipse that happened on June 21, 2021. Despite the fact that the complete sun based obscuration isn't noticeable in India, individuals can watch it online on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) site.&nbsp;

We will be noticing two solar eclipses in the following year, 2021. The first has been accounted for to happen during the mid-year, on June 10 and the second one on December 4.

The last solar eclipse of 2020 will be visible on December 14 from 7.03 pm (IST) to 12:23 am (IST). Solar eclipse 2020 will be visible in Chile, Argentina, South-West Africa and Antarctica where the sun will be completely blocked.

The last solar eclipse of 2020 will be visible on December 14 from 7.03 pm (IST) to 12:23 am (IST). Solar eclipse 2020 will be visible in Chile, Argentina, South-West Africa and Antarctica where the sun will be completely blocked. Different spots in the Pacific, Atlantic and the Indian Ocean will likewise have the option to see the eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the Sun’s rays and casting a shadow on parts of Earth. It occurs twice a year but can go up to five times in very rare scenarios. The current year's all-out sun powered shroud won't be noticeable in India as the Sun would have been set for the day when the heavenly occasion starts. The magnitude of the eclipse is 1.02 and will keep going for a length of 2 minutes and 10 seconds with the Sun totally covered with the Moon's shadow. Individuals have been encouraged to not straightforwardly take a gander at the Sun during the overshadowing as it can cause extreme eye harm. The individuals who wish to take an immediate perspective on the overshadowing should utilize satisfactory assurance, for example, obscure glasses or a pinhole projector. The previous solar eclipse of the year was an annular solar eclipse that happened on June 21, 2021. Despite the fact that the complete sun based obscuration isn't noticeable in India, individuals can watch it online on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) site. We will be noticing two solar eclipses in the following year, 2021. The first has been accounted for to happen during the mid-year, on June 10 and the second one on December 4.

Solar Eclipse 2020: Timings and all you need to know

The annular belt of the eclipse in India passed through cities like Joshimath and Dehradun in Uttrakhand, Sirsa in Haryana, parts of Rajasthan, but the eclipse was witnessed from every corner of the country.

Different states and cities in India witnesses historical Solar Eclipse 2020

Ring of fire: Solar eclipse 2020 darkens skies around world

Solar Eclipse 2019: World witnesses last celestial wonder of the decade

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a bunch of pictures from his to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse on Thursday. A member of the Indian National Congress party pointed out that the PM was wearing Maybach sunglasses worth $1,995 or more than Rs 1.6 lakh. #WION #PMModi #Congress #Maybach

Twitter trolls PM Modi for wearing sunglasses worth Rs 1.6 Lakh

As the last solar eclipse of the decade began to be witnessed&nbsp;in some parts of the world, PM Modi tweeted saying although he was enthusiastic about it but he couldn't see it "due to the cloud cover".

"I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts," India's prime minister said in a tweet on Wednesday.

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Like many Indians, I was enthusiastic about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/solareclipse2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#solareclipse2019</a>. 
 
Unfortunately, I could not see the Sun due to cloud cover but I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts. <a href="https://t.co/EI1dcIWRIz">pic.twitter.com/EI1dcIWRIz</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1210064755584454656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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A Twitter user shot back saying it will now become a meme, to which the prime minister replied: "Most welcome....enjoy." with a smile.

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Most welcome....enjoy :) <a href="https://t.co/uSFlDp0Ogm">https://t.co/uSFlDp0Ogm</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1210070312760557570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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During a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun which appears like a Ring of fire also called the "Surya Grahan" in Hindi.

People gathered early on Thursday&nbsp;to watch the celestial miracle with full solar eclipse expected in India, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Reports said Thailand too will witness a partial solar eclipse including the Middle-east and South Asian countries. It is expected to be at its peak in mid-day.

In India, the solar eclipse was visible in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat and national capital Delhi. The eclipse which began on Thursday&nbsp;morning is expected to be visible till mid-afternoon in the country.

As the last solar eclipse of the decade began to be witnessed in some parts of the world, PM Modi tweeted saying although he was enthusiastic about it but he couldn't see it "due to the cloud cover".

As the last solar eclipse of the decade began to be witnessed in some parts of the world, PM Modi tweeted saying although he was enthusiastic about it but he couldn't see it "due to the cloud cover". "I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts," India's prime minister said in a tweet on Wednesday. Like many Indians, I was enthusiastic about #solareclipse2019. Unfortunately, I could not see the Sun due to cloud cover but I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts. pic.twitter.com/EI1dcIWRIz — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 26, 2019 × A Twitter user shot back saying it will now become a meme, to which the prime minister replied: "Most welcome....enjoy." with a smile. Most welcome....enjoy :) https://t.co/uSFlDp0Ogm — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 26, 2019 × During a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun which appears like a Ring of fire also called the "Surya Grahan" in Hindi. People gathered early on Thursday to watch the celestial miracle with full solar eclipse expected in India, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Reports said Thailand too will witness a partial solar eclipse including the Middle-east and South Asian countries. It is expected to be at its peak in mid-day. In India, the solar eclipse was visible in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat and national capital Delhi. The eclipse which began on Thursday morning is expected to be visible till mid-afternoon in the country.

Unfortunately, I could not see the Sun due to cloud cover, tweets PM Modi on solar eclipse

Students from various Nepali schools and varsities flocked Kathmandu's BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium, Observatory, and Science Museum on Thursday as the observatory had made special arrangements to view the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-how-solar-eclipse-in-chile-is-fuelling-tourism-231930">solar eclipse</a> through a telescope directly.

Executive Director of the Observatory, Sanat Kumar Sharma said that the arrangements were made for directly witnessing the eclipse through a solar filters-fitted telescope to support cultivating scientific conscience and culture among the public.

"Previously, the solar eclipse was very much helpful to study solar and other phenomenon but science has developed much, now it is helpful to create the scientific temper among the broad mass of the people. At the same time, it also enhances the learning capacity of the student. They only get to read in textbooks that there is a solar eclipse, there is a moon eclipse all the things but practically they do not know such things. When we show them live then they will know a lot of things about this eclipse," Sharma told ANI.

The celestial phenomenon was seen at 8.43 am in Kathmandu, at 8.38 am in Mahendranagar and at 8.48 am in Bhadrapur. The eclipse reached its median time at 10.01 am in Kathmandu, at 9.52 am&nbsp;in Mahendranagar and at 9.59 am&nbsp;at Bhadrapur and ended by 11.33 am at these places, The Himalayan Times reported.

"Apart from the studies, it's about interest too. We have to study about optics in the second year (of Undergraduate Course of Science) as we knew that the images are being projected from sun which provides us with an experimental idea regarding it through the help of the telescope that is stationed here and the later images thus formed which drove us up to here," said Ruru Bhusal, an undergraduate student who along with her friends visited the Observatory to learn more on the eclipse.

Similarly, Nepal Astronomical Society also facilitated observation of the solar eclipse through a telescope, available for the interested people at their office in Battisputali, Society President Suresh Bhattarai was quoted as saying.

Besides this, the decade's last eclipse was also visible in several parts of India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Singapore, Oman, and Guam.

Students from various Nepali schools and varsities flocked Kathmandu's BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium, Observatory, and Science Museum on Thursday as the observatory had made special arrangements to view the solar eclipse through a telescope directly.

Students from various Nepali schools and varsities flocked Kathmandu's BP Koirala Memorial Planetarium, Observatory, and Science Museum on Thursday as the observatory had made special arrangements to view the solar eclipse through a telescope directly. Executive Director of the Observatory, Sanat Kumar Sharma said that the arrangements were made for directly witnessing the eclipse through a solar filters-fitted telescope to support cultivating scientific conscience and culture among the public. "Previously, the solar eclipse was very much helpful to study solar and other phenomenon but science has developed much, now it is helpful to create the scientific temper among the broad mass of the people. At the same time, it also enhances the learning capacity of the student. They only get to read in textbooks that there is a solar eclipse, there is a moon eclipse all the things but practically they do not know such things. When we show them live then they will know a lot of things about this eclipse," Sharma told ANI. The celestial phenomenon was seen at 8.43 am in Kathmandu, at 8.38 am in Mahendranagar and at 8.48 am in Bhadrapur. The eclipse reached its median time at 10.01 am in Kathmandu, at 9.52 am in Mahendranagar and at 9.59 am at Bhadrapur and ended by 11.33 am at these places, The Himalayan Times reported. "Apart from the studies, it's about interest too. We have to study about optics in the second year (of Undergraduate Course of Science) as we knew that the images are being projected from sun which provides us with an experimental idea regarding it through the help of the telescope that is stationed here and the later images thus formed which drove us up to here," said Ruru Bhusal, an undergraduate student who along with her friends visited the Observatory to learn more on the eclipse. Similarly, Nepal Astronomical Society also facilitated observation of the solar eclipse through a telescope, available for the interested people at their office in Battisputali, Society President Suresh Bhattarai was quoted as saying. Besides this, the decade's last eclipse was also visible in several parts of India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Singapore, Oman, and Guam.

For students in Nepal, solar eclipse was a hands-on experience

For the last Solar eclipse of 2019 on Thursday (December 26) people gathered at parks and observation centres in India to view the annular solar spectacle which is visible in several parts of the country. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet on Wednesday, "Unfortunately, I could not see the Sun due to cloud cover but I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on the live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts." #WION #SolarEclipse2019 #RingOfFire

Solar eclipse 2019: Sun turns into 'Ring Of Fire'

As the world gears up for the last Solar eclipse of 2019 on Thursday, people gathered at parks and observation centres in India to view the annular solar spectacle which is visible in several parts of the country. #WION #SolarEclipse2019 #RingOfFire

Last Solar Eclipse of the decade begins, to create a 'ring of fire'

A dramatic time-lapse at Chile's Coquimbo region captured a rare total solar eclipse on Tuesday. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, plunging the planet into darkness. It happens only rarely in any given spot across the globe. Some of the best views this time were in Chile's Coquimbo region, where a lack of humidity and city lights combine to create the world's clearest skies. The region had not seen an eclipse since 1592, according to the Chilean Astronomy Society. The next one is expected in 2165.

Timelapse captures moment sky darkens for total solar eclipse

Hundreds of thousands of tourists scattered across the north Chilean desert on Tuesday to experience a rare, and irresistible combination for astronomy buffs: a total eclipse of the sun viewed from beneath the world's clearest skies.Watch full video to know more.

Solar eclipse plunges Chile into darkness

Tourists from around the globe converged on the northern Chilean desert on Tuesday (July 2) to witness the total eclipse under the world's clearest skies.

Blind Chileans 'listen' for the solar eclipse

When solar eclipse plunged Argentina, Peru and Chile into darkness

In Pics: How solar eclipse in Chile is fuelling tourism

Tourists are pouring into northern Chile ahead of a total solar eclipse that will take place on Tuesday and which has already generated an intense demand on services in the area - one of the best sites in the world to observe astronomical phenomena. In the region of Coquimbo, hotel rooms and airline tickets have been sold out for months due to interest by tourists and astronomical experts. Coquimbo's La Silla observatory will host national and foreign scientists travelling to the area to observe the eclipses.

'A most amazing setting'- tourists flock to Chile to view solar eclipse

Everyone knows that you should not look at the sun!

Not with your naked eye, not with sunglasses and certainly not with binoculars or with a telescope. Our sun might be just an ordinary star, but it&rsquo;s extremely close to us &mdash; about 269,000 times closer than the <a href="https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/features/cosmic/nearest_star_info.html">next nearest star</a>. This makes the sun very, very bright.

Everyone knows that you should not look at the sun. But what about during an eclipse? This situation will confront us <a href="http://eclipse.aas.org">on August 21</a>, when the entirety of North America, along with parts of South America, Africa, Europe and eastern Russia, will experience a solar eclipse.

For the vast majority of viewers, including anyone in any part of Canada, the eclipse will be a <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/partial-solar-eclipse.html">partial one</a>. This means that the moon will block out part of the face of the sun but leave the rest of it unchanged.

<figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/181475/area14mp/file-20170808-26048-o6es2t.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/181475/width237/file-20170808-26048-o6es2t.jpg" /></a>

<figcaption>
NASA&rsquo;s Solar Dynamics Observatory saw a partial solar eclipse in space when it caught the moon passing in front of the sun on May 25, 2017.

If you&rsquo;re under <a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEanimate/SEanimate2001/SE2017Aug21T.GIF">the path of the partial eclipse</a> &mdash; even somewhere where the sun is 99 per cent concealed &mdash; you still should not look at the sun with the unaided eye. Even one-hundredth of the sun&rsquo;s normal brightness is enough to permanently damage your eyesight.
</figcaption>
</figure>

Instead, you can safely watch the action through special <a href="https://www.space.com/36941-solar-eclipse-eye-protection-guide.html">eclipse glasses</a> (make sure they&rsquo;re <a href="https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/iso-certification">ISO certified and from a reliable supplier</a>), through a simple <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/how-to-make-a-pinhole-camera/">home-made pinhole camera</a> or even by looking at the shadows cast by <a href="https://petapixel.com/2012/05/21/crescent-shaped-projections-through-tree-leaves-during-the-solar-eclipse/">tree leaves</a> or by a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/03/20/solar-eclipse-colander-_n_6908140.html">kitchen colander</a>.

For some lucky viewers in parts of <a href="http://eclipse2017.org/blog/2017/01/15/states-the-total-eclipse-touches/">14 U.S. states</a>, a total solar eclipse awaits on August 21. This will be far more exciting than a mere partial eclipse. For maybe as long as two minutes, depending on your exact location, the sun will disappear completely behind the moon. The temperature will drop, the stars will come out, and the birds will think evening has come.

If you are under the path of the total eclipse, you&rsquo;ll likely have more than an hour of partial eclipse both before and after the exciting moment of totality. During the partial phases, the usual rules apply: Wear your eclipse glasses or use your colander, but don&rsquo;t look at the sun unaided!

However, when the time finally arrives and when the sky goes dark, it will finally be safe to look. Take off your glasses, stare at the sun with your unaided eyes, and soak up a remarkable cosmic moment.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/181476/width754/file-20170808-26004-1qtloh3.jpg" />
<figcaption>
The Hinode satellite observed the sun&rsquo;s corona during a total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009.

During the total eclipse, it is completely safe to look at the sun without any equipment at all. And what a sight it will be.
</figcaption>
</figure>

Revealed, just for a moment, will be <a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/what-to-see-during-eclipse#totality">the sun&rsquo;s glorious corona</a>, the faint <a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/solar-corona">tendrils of ultra-hot gas</a> that stream off the sun&rsquo;s blazing surface. This is not to be missed. If you leave your eclipse glasses on, you won&rsquo;t see anything.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/81067/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />After a minute or two, the total eclipse will be over, the skies will lighten and special safety precautions must once again be taken. But those who experience totality will be left with memories of an otherwise hidden view of the Universe, a brief glimpse of our life-giving sun unlike any other.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-safely-watch-an-eclipse-advice-from-an-astronomer-81067">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

Even one-hundredth of the sun?s normal brightness is enough to permanently damage your eyesight, says astronomer Gaensler.

Everyone knows that you should not look at the sun! Not with your naked eye, not with sunglasses and certainly not with binoculars or with a telescope. Our sun might be just an ordinary star, but it’s extremely close to us — about 269,000 times closer than the next nearest star. This makes the sun very, very bright. Everyone knows that you should not look at the sun. But what about during an eclipse? This situation will confront us on August 21, when the entirety of North America, along with parts of South America, Africa, Europe and eastern Russia, will experience a solar eclipse. For the vast majority of viewers, including anyone in any part of Canada, the eclipse will be a partial one. This means that the moon will block out part of the face of the sun but leave the rest of it unchanged. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory saw a partial solar eclipse in space when it caught the moon passing in front of the sun on May 25, 2017. If you’re under the path of the partial eclipse — even somewhere where the sun is 99 per cent concealed — you still should not look at the sun with the unaided eye. Even one-hundredth of the sun’s normal brightness is enough to permanently damage your eyesight. Instead, you can safely watch the action through special eclipse glasses (make sure they’re ISO certified and from a reliable supplier), through a simple home-made pinhole camera or even by looking at the shadows cast by tree leaves or by a kitchen colander. For some lucky viewers in parts of 14 U.S. states, a total solar eclipse awaits on August 21. This will be far more exciting than a mere partial eclipse. For maybe as long as two minutes, depending on your exact location, the sun will disappear completely behind the moon. The temperature will drop, the stars will come out, and the birds will think evening has come. If you are under the path of the total eclipse, you’ll likely have more than an hour of partial eclipse both before and after the exciting moment of totality. During the partial phases, the usual rules apply: Wear your eclipse glasses or use your colander, but don’t look at the sun unaided! However, when the time finally arrives and when the sky goes dark, it will finally be safe to look. Take off your glasses, stare at the sun with your unaided eyes, and soak up a remarkable cosmic moment. The Hinode satellite observed the sun’s corona during a total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009. During the total eclipse, it is completely safe to look at the sun without any equipment at all. And what a sight it will be. Revealed, just for a moment, will be the sun’s glorious corona, the faint tendrils of ultra-hot gas that stream off the sun’s blazing surface. This is not to be missed. If you leave your eclipse glasses on, you won’t see anything. After a minute or two, the total eclipse will be over, the skies will lighten and special safety precautions must once again be taken. But those who experience totality will be left with memories of an otherwise hidden view of the Universe, a brief glimpse of our life-giving sun unlike any other. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

During the total eclipse, it is completely safe to look at the sun

solar-eclipse

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