Protecting your eyes from dangerous UV and infrared radiation is rule number one during a solar eclipse. While it’s never a good idea to look directly at the sun, it’s tempting to do so during an eclipse. Doing so, however, puts you in danger of “sunburning” your eyes with the UV and infrared radiation that still gets beamed to Earth during an eclipse. This sunburning could lead to discomfort and permanent damage to your vision.
The best way to safely view a partial or total solar eclipse is with a pair of special glasses, binoculars, or telescope that has had its lenses treated with a special filter coating for eclipse observation. You can also use a welding mask or goggles if the lenses are tinted to shade 12 or darker to protect your eyes.
You can also make a camera obscura from a cardboard box or kitchen colander. And if push comes to shove, you can always poke around YouTube and Twitch to see if anyone has set up a livestream of the eclipse.
