# Looking at the sun in space **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563 "2012-10-12T21:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/1 "2012-10-12T21:20:31Z")
If you looked directly at the sun here on earth for a couple of seconds you wouldn’t suffer much damage to your eyes. But the sunlight is being filtered through miles of atmosphere. What would happen to your eyes if you were out in space with a transparent faceplate that filtered out minima light and looked directly at the sun for just a few seconds? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/2 "2012-10-12T22:10:00Z")
Wouldn’t it depend on where you were? Are you expecting to be just outside the Earth’s atmosphere? I’d say that if you could get sufficiently far away, it would be ok. Certainly, getting a few light years away will result in the Sun looking as big and as bright as some of the stars you see in the sky from earth - not damaging in any significant way. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/3 "2012-10-12T23:36:34Z")
According to this: [Lecture 29: The Earth's Atmosphere](http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast161/Unit5/atmos.html) 22% of sunlight is absorbed in the atmosphere. Some of that is probably on the way back up, but even if we assume it’s not, the sun out in space at Earth orbit would only be 25%-30% brighter than it is on the surface. That’s enough to be “safe” over short durations. (But, obviously, do not try this at home either. Looking at the sun unprotected isn’t such a great idea anywhere.) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/4 "2012-10-12T23:45:30Z")
It wouldn’t just be linear absorption across all wavelengths; the earth’s atmosphere is particularly good at absorbing UV, and that’s the part that’ll do the most harm. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/5 "2012-10-13T00:10:01Z")
I found myself pondering the Sequential Thread Titles: Giant Mystery Eyeball Discovered on South Florida Beach Looking at the sun in space and I thought to myself, “well, where else would the sun be?” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/6 "2012-10-13T15:23:41Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Wouldn’t it depend on where you were? Are you expecting to be just outside the Earth’s atmosphere? I’d say that if you could get sufficiently far away, it would be ok. Certainly, getting a few light years away will result in the Sun looking as big and as bright as some of the stars you see in the sky from earth - not damaging in any significant way. Yeah, I was thinking of of near earth orbit like the ISS. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/7 "2012-10-13T17:22:45Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > According to this: [Lecture 29: The Earth's Atmosphere](http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast161/Unit5/atmos.html) 22% of sunlight is absorbed in the atmosphere. Most of this absorbtion is caused by clouds. If you look at the Sun in a cloudless sky it won’t be very much dimmer in visible wavelengths than it looks in space. UV is a different matter. Best wear sunglasses inside your visor… ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-at-the-sun-in-space/637563/8 "2012-10-14T07:42:27Z")
Despite a bit of natural UV blocking in our corneas, the ozone in our atmosphere cuts out 97% of the sun’s full UV output. Only 3% gets through when the sun’s at its zenith. So, yeh, might wanna wear shades in space. Other than that, looking at the sun for about 20 or 30 seconds will burn your retinas off. Space to not.