Zero Edge If you stared straight at a total eclipse with no protection you might burn the retina of your eyes. The burn would not be the same kind of burn you would receive from staring straight at the sun (which would be a filled circle) but instead would be a thin outline of a circle. I wonder if a person with this type of burn would have differing psychological traits than others. I wonder if they would be able to visually focus on things better than others considering they have a boundary circle permanently within their vision. I wonder if it changed the culture of peoples of ancient times if they happened stare at a total eclipse...

☕ David Antoine Looking directly at the sun is unsafe except during the brief total phase of a solar eclipse, when the moon entirely blocks the sun's apparent disk. You have to be careful not to look at the sun in any other circumstances. During a total solar eclipse maximum phase, you can even look at it with binoculars, it's incredible. But you have to be aware of the time and stop staring at it when the end of the total phase approaches. A "thin outline of a circle" burn would probably occur if you have the bad idea of looking at an annular eclipse during the max phase, with binoculars and no protection. Having eye burn damage suck. Zero uplift.

Zero Edge I've seen the total solar eclipse but had not thought of using a pair of binoculars. I might try that out if I can make it to the one we should be experiencing soon. I suppose you're right that the sun would be too blocked out to experience any burn of the retina during the total eclipse.

☕ David Antoine You'll be fine and you won't regret it, just don't get carried out by the spectacle and stop watching at it when you know that the end of the total phase approaches. Always Keep that in mind, you don't want to be on the binoculars when the first ray of light pops out from the lunar limb... Besides, as you experienced it, it is wonderful to enter and leave the total phase by soaking in the abrupt change in the surrounding environment with your naked eyes.