<p>There are <em>flares</em> and then there are <em>prominences</em> These are rather different things.</p>
<p>A solar flare is a sudden release of energy from the surface of the sun (including a lot of X-rays).  A prominence is a magnetic loop of plasma extending out from the surface of the sun.</p>
<p>You couldn't see a flare during an eclipse, as these would be hidden by the moon.  Prominences can sometimes be visible, and were observed in pre-telecopic observations, such as from the 12th century, in which a monk describes &quot;flame-like tongues of live embers&quot; surrounding the sun. They are not always visible, and would always be hard to see.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T13:31:18.180Z
Thank you. I didn't realize this. I have a link you might  enjoy from 1919 solar eclipse that verified special relativity.. Here is the link.https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1926a/
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-25T20:31:33.553Z
2023-09-25T20:31:33.553Z
James K
<p>Although rare, it is possible to see solar prominences with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. The most recent was in 1991 when two very large prominences were visible to the naked eye during the total eclipse which was visible in Baja California and on the Island of Hawaii (aka the Big Island). Note that because of the distance and small apparent size, to the naked eye the prominences looked like small crimson colored smudges on the edge of the Sun, not like the &quot;flames&quot; that you see in astronomical photos. During most eclipses however the prominences are much smaller and would not be visible with the naked eye, although possibly with binoculars.</p>
<p>Below is the only copyright-free photo of the 1991 eclipse that I could find that shows the prominences. Some better views of the 1991 eclipse can be seen on the <a href="https://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/TSE1991/image/TSE91-4cmp1w.JPG" rel="noreferrer">Mr. Eclipse</a> website and on the <a href="http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/%7Edruck/Eclipse/Ecl1991m/Ecl1991_rdd_cor/0-info.htm" rel="noreferrer">MMV project</a>  website.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/qEyPu.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/qEyPu.jpg" alt="1991 eclipse" /></a><br />
1991 Total Solar Eclipse (photo: Werner Raffetseder, via: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Triptychon_Cosmic_Clockwork.jpg" rel="noreferrer">Wikimedia Commons</a>, CC BY-SA 3.0)</p>
<p>The prominences visible in a more typical total solar eclipse can be seen in a photo of the 2015 eclipse on the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/solar-eclipse-guide.html" rel="noreferrer">London Natural History Museum</a> website.</p>
<h4>Flare vs. Prominence</h4>
<p>As mentioned in <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/54843/52297">another answer</a>, a solar flare will not be visible to the naked eye. In fact it would probably not be visible even with binoculars or telescopes unless using special filters. As described in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sun/Prominences" rel="noreferrer">Britannica</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The most spectacular phenomenon related to sunspot activity is the solar flare, which is an abrupt release of magnetic energy from the sunspot region. Despite the great energy involved, most flares are almost invisible in ordinary light because the energy release takes place in the transparent atmosphere, and only the photosphere, which relatively little energy reaches, can be seen in visible light. Flares are best seen in the Hα line, where the brightness may be 10 times that of the surrounding chromosphere, or 3 times that of the surrounding continuum.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Prominences on the other hand can be visible during a total eclipse:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As with the chromosphere, prominences are transparent in white light and, except during total eclipses, must be viewed in Hα. At eclipse the red Hα line lends a beautiful pink to the prominences visible at totality.</p>
</blockquote>
<h4>Binoculars</h4>
<p>It is safe to look at a total eclipse with binoculars, just as it is safe to take pictures with a telephoto lens which many people do, but only <strong>DURING TOTALITY</strong>. As mentioned in some of the comments there is a risk if you are not very careful. First of all you must be in the path of totality. Being in an area that will experience 98% or even 99% totality is not the same thing. It's sort of like being somewhat pregnant, you are either in totality or you are not. Anyone who has been in the path of totality for a total solar eclipse knows what I am talking about. If someone lives in one of the areas that will experience near totality, they should make every effort to travel the 100-200 miles or whatever it takes to get into the path of totality, otherwise they will miss the experience of a lifetime.</p>
<p>Even for the last few seconds before totality the tiny piece of Sun that is still visible is very bright, and can be damaging to the naked eye. The problem is that the volume of light reaching your eye at that time is much lower than normal, and so you will not feel any pain and will likely not have the reflex to look away. Even though the sky and surrounding area is getting dark, as long as even a tiny sliver of sunlight appears you must continue to only look at the Sun through eclipse glasses.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/K3Xv0m.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/K3Xv0m.png" alt="Eclipse glasses" /></a></p>
<p>Note that it's a good idea to purchase eclipse glasses a few months before a total eclipse as they will begin to sell out as it gets closer. Welders glass can also be used, but it must be at least shade 14 which is generally not available in a typical hardware store.</p>
<p>Once totality starts it is safe to look at the Sun with the naked eye, binoculars, telephoto lens, etc. In North America totality will last four and a half minutes, although that is only in the center of the track, it can be less if you are further from center. The important thing for safety is to only look with binoculars, etc. during the first part of totality, since your sense of time will be somewhat distorted. My personal experience is that time seems to come to a standstill. So plan to spend maybe 30 seconds or so looking with binoculars, which should be plenty of time to observe any detail. For added safety you can set a timer to go off about a minute before totality ends. But realistically you will probably quickly realize that the naked eye view is much more impressive. Just remember that once you put your binoculars and/or camera down, don't pick them up again for the duration of the eclipse.</p>
<p>Also remember that the moment at the end of totality when the first tiny piece of Sun appears you should immediately begin using your eclipse glasses, as again even that tiny piece of light can be very damaging to your eyes if you stare at it. Some people don't trust their self-discipline to look away when the Sun reappears, and so they put on their eclipse glasses during the last minute of totality. There is nothing wrong with that approach either as it would be the absolute safest.</p>
<p>My personal opinion, having seen a total eclipse, is to forgot binoculars, cameras, etc. and just take it all in. Or plan to use those items only for the first 30 seconds or so, and then put them down and enjoy the spectacle.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T16:18:43.573Z
Nice complete answer
antlersoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T15:19:52.247Z
2023-09-27T15:19:52.247Z
Steve Pemberton
<p>Since this question was asked in anticipation of the 2024 total solar eclipse, I figured I'd follow up with a visual observation report from a rest stop near Abbott, Texas. We were very fortunate to see one naked-eye prominence during totality, visible as a bright pink point on the edge of the lunar disk. There were several other prominences present, but they were not visible without magnification. There were no significant solar flares occurring at the time, and as mentioned above, these are not visible unless they happen to occur at the edge of the sun's disk.</p>
<p>I took <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2024-04-08_Eclipse_over_Abbott_afocal_cropped.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the photo below</a> afocally using a Celestron C5+ (127 mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope) and an Asus Zenfone 9 pointed through a 32 mm eyepiece, with an exposure time of 1/800 s and ISO 100. No eyepiece adapter was used - I held the camera up to the eyepiece, and the exit pupil was easy to locate through the preview due to the high brightness of the corona.</p>
<p>The exposure was selected to reveal the prominences at the expense of outer coronal detail, but both were simultaneously visible to the naked eye and through the eyepiece. The prominence visible to the naked eye is located at the lower left of this image, and due to its extremely high brightness compared to all other features visible at the time, its features are washed out in the image. Other prominences appeared and disappeared as the moon moved throughout totality, invisible to the naked eye but clearly visible through the eyepiece.</p>
<p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/2024-04-08_Eclipse_over_Abbott_afocal_cropped.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/2024-04-08_Eclipse_over_Abbott_afocal_cropped.jpg" alt="An afocal astrophotograph of the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024. The prominence visible to the naked eye is visible at the lower left." /></a></p>
<p>I will reiterate the warnings from other users about observing the sun through astronomical equipment: <strong>unfiltered sunlight from the photosphere can rapidly cause lasting eye damage, which may not be immediately evident, and can damage any equipment in the optical path. A solar filter is <em>required</em> for visual or photographic observation of partial phases: this includes the entirety of an annular eclipse.</strong></p>
<p>On top of this, I will also echo the sentiment that a total eclipse is best experienced without the burden of trying to get the perfect photograph. My goal with this event, being my first total solar eclipse, was to get one good afocal photograph, and I consider this a success. Even visual aid (binoculars or a telescope) is not necessary to enjoy the experience.</p>
<p>However, <strong>if you understand and accept the risks and know how to mitigate them, observing totality through a telescope is incredibly rewarding.</strong> Numerous smaller and fainter prominences (everything you can see in the image) and fine coronal detail come into full view, and you can see the ionized hydrogen of the chromosphere at the beginning and end of totality (which also serves as a great indicator for when to look away!). My setup provided a magnification of 40x, and unless you're interested in observing a specific prominence in detail, you don't need any more magnification or eyepieces.</p>
<p>I didn't use binoculars for the eclipse, but again, if you understand and accept the risks and know how to mitigate them, they can certainly enhance the experience. Various manufacturers make solar filters for binoculars as well, which are great for both the partial phases of eclipses and sunspot observations.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T21:32:07.987Z
What an absolutely beautiful picture. Thank you for posting to my question.
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-22T21:24:28.743Z
Great photo! Looks similar to what I saw through 12X binoculars in NE Arkansas. I drove there from SE Texas where I had originally planned to view. I could see the full corona, were you looking through cirrus clouds or did you have the exposure adjusted for the prominences and nearby corona? From photos I have seen when exposure is set to see the full corona then everything closer gets washed out. A high percentage of people viewed this eclipse through cirrus clouds, which is still a great view but it blocks the full corona. I moved literally 15 minutes before totality to get away from cirrus.
Steve Pemberton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-27T16:34:01.607Z
My location was dominated by cumulus clouds, but we got lucky and the eclipsed sun was only briefly obscured. The reduced sunlight killed the convection before totality. I actually reprocessed the image from the RAW recently (which is available upon request), so hopefully I'll be able to update it on Wikimedia Commons.
brainandforce
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T18:38:39.920Z
2024-07-19T18:38:39.920Z
brainandforce
<p>I've only seen two total solar eclipses, in 1991 and 2017. Both had prominences very visible with naked eye. Heed all the safety warnings mentioned here, but I do recommend having binoculars handy to get a quick peek. But also heed the advice to just take it all in. If you are in North America (only place the 2024 eclipse will be visible) you should be able to get more than 1 minute by getting close to the center line. Google maps has a nice interactive map. Good luck!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-22T15:01:25.487Z
NEVER use binoculars to watch a solar eclips! You must at least put an especially created filter on it in order to destroy your eyes! (No experimenting with coffee or other filters, I mean!)
Dominique
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-23T14:21:00.283Z
Good practice to always be safe.  I think you mean to say "not to" instead of "to" in your comment?  I think maybe a typo. I will have 3 min ot totality over the part of Ohio where I live.
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-23T19:04:28.203Z
I disagree with Dominique, but do agree that one should be exceedingly careful. A good practice would be to set a timer on your phone or watch to let you know when the end is getting close. I would not use binos within 30 seconds to a minute of the end of totality, but do look for prominences, and detail in the Corona. 3 minutes, or 4 if you are better located, gives plenty of safe time to view these details for a few seconds. A safer practice would be to watch where there is a large crowd of dedicated eclipse watchers. There will be folks with large telescopes with the proper filters.
Bill Turner
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-22T01:27:04.733Z
2024-01-22T01:27:04.733Z
Bill Turner
<p>If by 'solar flare' you mean a coronal mass ejection, then yes, in theory you could see one during a total eclipse <em>if</em> there happened to be one that was at approximately 90 degrees to Earth at the time of the eclipse. You might have a hard time distinguishing it from the rest of the corona depending on the exact geometry, but if there's one there in the right position, you'll probably see it as an extension or bulb in the corona.</p>
<p>Using binoculars or telescopes during an eclipse is a risk. It's very dangerous to look towards the sun with any sort of magnifying device. While you could possibly see more detail in the corona and technically wouldn't be in danger of eye damage during totality, viewing any part of the sun's surface through binoculars or a telescope could cause permanent damage, and you could easily lose track of how long you have left. I personally wouldn't risk it -- the naked eye view is spectacular enough that you won't miss your lenses. I'll leave it to the professionals to get magnified photos of totality.</p>
<p>Note that you can put a solar filter on a magnifying device (on the SUN POINTING end, not the eyepiece!), but that's for viewing the unobstructed surface and would make the corona invisible during totality.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T01:19:51.290Z
Thank you for the warning on the Binoculars. I will be sure to leave them in the drawer and do what everybody says. Enjoy the view and don't focus on anyone thing.
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T10:00:19.013Z
@Sedumjoy Even without binoculars, looking at the Sun without protection is dangerous. You need (good quality) glasses to protect your sight. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse#Viewing
jcaron
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T11:40:02.577Z
"I'll leave it to the professionals to get magnified photos of totality." or use any indirect form of picture production, eg looking at a camera's screen (NOT an SLR camera's seeker!) would be safe (for your eyes, don't know about the cams sensor)
Hobbamok
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T12:40:10.740Z
@Sedumjoy I would 2nd the just enjoy the experience comments - I was in the path of totality for the '99 eclipse.  It was cloudy.  But it was still very memorable, on top of a hill with a whole bunch of people - I can't imagine what it would have been like if the weather was different.  There will be plenty of imagery of the event from others.
James Thorpe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T14:43:33.340Z
@Hobbamok Sure, there are ways to avoid having a direct path from the sun to your eye. But like... I don't know, this may just be personal, but I feel like if you're going to be staring at a screen to see it, you should record that for later and use your real eyes to look at the real thing happening in front of you (technical requirements like adjusting focus and aim aside). Viewing it on a screen will be the same whether it's in real time or not.
Darth Pseudonym
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T14:47:20.513Z
@Sedumjoy The unmagnified sun is not harmful in small doses -- like, no, obviously don't stare into the sun to try to see the growing "bite", but looking at totality unprotected and then looking away when you get a bright flash of the edge reappearing is not going to hurt anything, any more than glancing up on a bright day is risking your eyesight. You do want to be careful because you won't have the flinch reflex from the full sun.
Darth Pseudonym
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T22:13:33.687Z
@DarthPseudonym: I'd still consider that a risk, though. The problem is there's nothing specific that you'll sense at the point where permanent damage starts. So yes of course, you can glance at the full sun and immediately look away, eclipse or no eclipse. Happens for example in sports every time you lose the ball in the sun. But if you're trying to discern features of the sun you're likely to push it.
Steve Jessop
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T13:40:37.927Z
Thank you all for the warning. Not worth the risk. I only have one set of eyes. I will take everyone's advice and leave the binoculars in the drawer. I consider to be lucky that I can see a total eclipse. I could have lived two lifetimes and still never have gotten the opportunity to see one.So rare for the average person.
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T14:08:30.257Z
@SteveJessop I'm not sure what behavior you're advocating. You keep the glasses on until totality, then you take them off and view it bare-eyed in safety, and when the first edge of brightness reappears, you put the glasses back on.
Darth Pseudonym
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T16:17:15.370Z
@Sedumjoy - For the last North American total eclipse, I used binoculars with removable filters.  During totality, I remove the filters and I was able to see prominences (small, bright red) at the moons limb quite readily, as well as enjoying a more detailed view of the inner corona You can use unfiltered binoculars, just be alert of the eclipse timing and make sure you put them aside before totality ends.  You'll want to save some time for the whoe-sky naked-eye view in any case.
antlersoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-25T20:52:14.987Z
2023-09-25T20:52:14.987Z
Darth Pseudonym
<p>I read that it might be possible but I am wondering can I actually see small flames jetting from the surface around the circumference of the eclipse assuming they are active at the time?  There is a total solar eclipse in 2024 that I will be able to see.</p>
<p>I have binoculars and since I will have about a minute of total coverage would the binoculars add any value and would they be safe?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-25T20:35:50.390Z
The usual advice is to "experience the moment".  And having telescopes, cameras, or binoculars will detract from that.  You are likely to spend your precious minute of totality thinking about your binoculars and not the spectacle.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-25T21:46:47.173Z
The odds of there being one big enough to be naked eye visible, bright enough to distinguish from the corona, and in the right spot, are very slim.  If there is one, you'll probably hear about it.
Greg Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T01:22:56.503Z
I got the idea here. Check out the flare on the right side of the sun.https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1926a/                                 very cool picture
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T02:05:30.813Z
That's a genuinely amazing photo -- a literal one in a million shot.  Prominences of that size are fairly rare, and to get one in just the right position to be edge-on *during* the eclipse is incredible.
Darth Pseudonym
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T07:43:58.673Z
While the eclipse is partial, take a moment to look at the shadows on the ground ;)
Andrew Morton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T08:58:22.150Z
I took some photos of the 2019 eclipse with a rather powerful zoom lens on my camera (far beyond what nonprofessionals are likely to be wiling to pay for) and could clearly see a few red solar prominences peeking out from behind the moon. However, their heights were perhaps 1% of the diameter of the solar disk, while Sedumjoy's photo seems to show huge prominences of 10% or so. As @DarthPseudonym points out, what you see depends very much on what the sun happens to be doing at the time of the eclipse.
Some Guy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T09:06:30.913Z
Also, as the prominences I saw in my photos were very near the edge of the sun itself, it would have been very dangerous to try to view them with the naked eye, particularly under magnification, since the exposed sun would have to have been very close to coming out from behind the moon in order for the prominences to be visible at all. Also, they were much dimmer than the sun's disk and would generally have been drowned out by the sun's light if even part of the sun's disk were visible.
Some Guy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T09:56:40.863Z
Do not ever look at a solar eclipse with the naked eye. Much less with binoculars. You need protection.
jcaron
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-26T21:24:12.693Z
I had big plans for totality, but when it happened, they all left my brain. If I had a clock-driven tripod or something, I could see fiddling with a camera to get things set up beforehand, but during the eclipse, you should watch the eclipse.
erickson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T13:35:48.800Z
I agree. I plan to leave the binoculars in the drawer and enjoy the spectacle.
Sedumjoy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T16:32:20.683Z
@jcaron Not during totality. At every other time you do, though. And, of course, if you're looking at it with the naked eye during totality, you need to know when the totality is going to end and pay attention to that so that you're not still looking at it when totality ends.
reirab
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-27T19:54:29.273Z
One minute of totality is pretty short, will it be possible for you to travel to an area that is closer to the centerline? For example someone who lives in Austin, Texas where there will be just under two minutes of totality only has to drive about one hour to get to an area that will have over four minutes of totality. It's a once in a lifetime experience and it is well worth the effort to get the most out of it.
Steve Pemberton
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-28T04:33:15.247Z
Certainly not without destroying your eyesight.
Hearth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-08-06T06:51:59.133Z
@someguy look at then at start of totality then
Harrychink
<solar-eclipse>
During a total solar eclipse is it possible to see solar flares with the naked eye?
Sedumjoy
# During a total solar eclipse is it possible to see solar flares with the naked eye?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-09-25)

I read that it might be possible but I am wondering can I actually see small flames jetting from the surface around the circumference of the eclipse assuming they are active at the time? There is a total solar eclipse in 2024 that I will be able to see.

I have binoculars and since I will have about a minute of total coverage would the binoculars add any value and would they be safe?

**Tags:** solar-eclipse
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The usual advice is to "experience the moment".  And having telescopes, cameras, or binoculars will detract from that.  You are likely to spend your precious minute of totality thinking about your binoculars and not the spectacle.  
> **username_2**: The odds of there being one big enough to be naked eye visible, bright enough to distinguish from the corona, and in the right spot, are very slim.  If there is one, you'll probably hear about it.  
> **username_0**: I got the idea here. Check out the flare on the right side of the sun.https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1926a/                                 very cool picture  
> **username_3**: That's a genuinely amazing photo -- a literal one in a million shot.  Prominences of that size are fairly rare, and to get one in just the right position to be edge-on *during* the eclipse is incredible.  
> **username_4**: While the eclipse is partial, take a moment to look at the shadows on the ground ;)  
> **username_5**: I took some photos of the 2019 eclipse with a rather powerful zoom lens on my camera (far beyond what nonprofessionals are likely to be wiling to pay for) and could clearly see a few red solar prominences peeking out from behind the moon. However, their heights were perhaps 1% of the diameter of the solar disk, while Sedumjoy's photo seems to show huge prominences of 10% or so. As @DarthPseudonym points out, what you see depends very much on what the sun happens to be doing at the time of the eclipse.  
> **username_5**: Also, as the prominences I saw in my photos were very near the edge of the sun itself, it would have been very dangerous to try to view them with the naked eye, particularly under magnification, since the exposed sun would have to have been very close to coming out from behind the moon in order for the prominences to be visible at all. Also, they were much dimmer than the sun's disk and would generally have been drowned out by the sun's light if even part of the sun's disk were visible.  
> **username_6**: Do not ever look at a solar eclipse with the naked eye. Much less with binoculars. You need protection.  
> **username_7**: I had big plans for totality, but when it happened, they all left my brain. If I had a clock-driven tripod or something, I could see fiddling with a camera to get things set up beforehand, but during the eclipse, you should watch the eclipse.  
> **username_0**: I agree. I plan to leave the binoculars in the drawer and enjoy the spectacle.  
> **username_8**: @jcaron Not during totality. At every other time you do, though. And, of course, if you're looking at it with the naked eye during totality, you need to know when the totality is going to end and pay attention to that so that you're not still looking at it when totality ends.  
> **username_9**: One minute of totality is pretty short, will it be possible for you to travel to an area that is closer to the centerline? For example someone who lives in Austin, Texas where there will be just under two minutes of totality only has to drive about one hour to get to an area that will have over four minutes of totality. It's a once in a lifetime experience and it is well worth the effort to get the most out of it.  
> **username_10**: Certainly not without destroying your eyesight.  
> **username_11**: @someguy look at then at start of totality then  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-09-25. Score: 20 | Accepted answer

If by 'solar flare' you mean a coronal mass ejection, then yes, in theory you could see one during a total eclipse *if* there happened to be one that was at approximately 90 degrees to Earth at the time of the eclipse. You might have a hard time distinguishing it from the rest of the corona depending on the exact geometry, but if there's one there in the right position, you'll probably see it as an extension or bulb in the corona.

Using binoculars or telescopes during an eclipse is a risk. It's very dangerous to look towards the sun with any sort of magnifying device. While you could possibly see more detail in the corona and technically wouldn't be in danger of eye damage during totality, viewing any part of the sun's surface through binoculars or a telescope could cause permanent damage, and you could easily lose track of how long you have left. I personally wouldn't risk it -- the naked eye view is spectacular enough that you won't miss your lenses. I'll leave it to the professionals to get magnified photos of totality.

Note that you can put a solar filter on a magnifying device (on the SUN POINTING end, not the eyepiece!), but that's for viewing the unobstructed surface and would make the corona invisible during totality.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for the warning on the Binoculars. I will be sure to leave them in the drawer and do what everybody says. Enjoy the view and don't focus on anyone thing.  
> **username_6**: @Sedumjoy Even without binoculars, looking at the Sun without protection is dangerous. You need (good quality) glasses to protect your sight. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse#Viewing  
> **username_16**: "I'll leave it to the professionals to get magnified photos of totality." or use any indirect form of picture production, eg looking at a camera's screen (NOT an SLR camera's seeker!) would be safe (for your eyes, don't know about the cams sensor)  
> **username_17**: @Sedumjoy I would 2nd the just enjoy the experience comments - I was in the path of totality for the '99 eclipse.  It was cloudy.  But it was still very memorable, on top of a hill with a whole bunch of people - I can't imagine what it would have been like if the weather was different.  There will be plenty of imagery of the event from others.  
> **username_3**: @Hobbamok Sure, there are ways to avoid having a direct path from the sun to your eye. But like... I don't know, this may just be personal, but I feel like if you're going to be staring at a screen to see it, you should record that for later and use your real eyes to look at the real thing happening in front of you (technical requirements like adjusting focus and aim aside). Viewing it on a screen will be the same whether it's in real time or not.  
> **username_3**: @Sedumjoy The unmagnified sun is not harmful in small doses -- like, no, obviously don't stare into the sun to try to see the growing "bite", but looking at totality unprotected and then looking away when you get a bright flash of the edge reappearing is not going to hurt anything, any more than glancing up on a bright day is risking your eyesight. You do want to be careful because you won't have the flinch reflex from the full sun.  
> **username_18**: @DarthPseudonym: I'd still consider that a risk, though. The problem is there's nothing specific that you'll sense at the point where permanent damage starts. So yes of course, you can glance at the full sun and immediately look away, eclipse or no eclipse. Happens for example in sports every time you lose the ball in the sun. But if you're trying to discern features of the sun you're likely to push it.  
> **username_0**: Thank you all for the warning. Not worth the risk. I only have one set of eyes. I will take everyone's advice and leave the binoculars in the drawer. I consider to be lucky that I can see a total eclipse. I could have lived two lifetimes and still never have gotten the opportunity to see one.So rare for the average person.  
> **username_3**: @SteveJessop I'm not sure what behavior you're advocating. You keep the glasses on until totality, then you take them off and view it bare-eyed in safety, and when the first edge of brightness reappears, you put the glasses back on.  
> **username_12**: @Sedumjoy - For the last North American total eclipse, I used binoculars with removable filters.  During totality, I remove the filters and I was able to see prominences (small, bright red) at the moons limb quite readily, as well as enjoying a more detailed view of the inner corona You can use unfiltered binoculars, just be alert of the eclipse timing and make sure you put them aside before totality ends.  You'll want to save some time for the whoe-sky naked-eye view in any case.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2023-09-25. Score: 11

There are *flares* and then there are *prominences* These are rather different things.

A solar flare is a sudden release of energy from the surface of the sun (including a lot of X-rays). A prominence is a magnetic loop of plasma extending out from the surface of the sun.

You couldn't see a flare during an eclipse, as these would be hidden by the moon. Prominences can sometimes be visible, and were observed in pre-telecopic observations, such as from the 12th century, in which a monk describes "flame-like tongues of live embers" surrounding the sun. They are not always visible, and would always be hard to see.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you. I didn't realize this. I have a link you might  enjoy from 1919 solar eclipse that verified special relativity.. Here is the link.https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1926a/  

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### Answer by username_9 on 2023-09-27. Score: 7

Although rare, it is possible to see solar prominences with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. The most recent was in 1991 when two very large prominences were visible to the naked eye during the total eclipse which was visible in Baja California and on the Island of Hawaii (aka the Big Island). Note that because of the distance and small apparent size, to the naked eye the prominences looked like small crimson colored smudges on the edge of the Sun, not like the "flames" that you see in astronomical photos. During most eclipses however the prominences are much smaller and would not be visible with the naked eye, although possibly with binoculars.

Below is the only copyright-free photo of the 1991 eclipse that I could find that shows the prominences. Some better views of the 1991 eclipse can be seen on the [Mr. Eclipse](https://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/TSE1991/image/TSE91-4cmp1w.JPG) website and on the [MMV project](http://www.zam.fme.vutbr.cz/%7Edruck/Eclipse/Ecl1991m/Ecl1991_rdd_cor/0-info.htm) website.

[![1991 eclipse](https://i.sstatic.net/qEyPu.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/qEyPu.jpg)  
1991 Total Solar Eclipse (photo: Werner Raffetseder, via: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Triptychon_Cosmic_Clockwork.jpg), CC BY-SA 3.0)

The prominences visible in a more typical total solar eclipse can be seen in a photo of the 2015 eclipse on the [London Natural History Museum](https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/solar-eclipse-guide.html) website.

#### Flare vs. Prominence

As mentioned in [another answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/54843/52297), a solar flare will not be visible to the naked eye. In fact it would probably not be visible even with binoculars or telescopes unless using special filters. As described in [Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/place/Sun/Prominences):

> The most spectacular phenomenon related to sunspot activity is the solar flare, which is an abrupt release of magnetic energy from the sunspot region. Despite the great energy involved, most flares are almost invisible in ordinary light because the energy release takes place in the transparent atmosphere, and only the photosphere, which relatively little energy reaches, can be seen in visible light. Flares are best seen in the Hα line, where the brightness may be 10 times that of the surrounding chromosphere, or 3 times that of the surrounding continuum.

Prominences on the other hand can be visible during a total eclipse:

> As with the chromosphere, prominences are transparent in white light and, except during total eclipses, must be viewed in Hα. At eclipse the red Hα line lends a beautiful pink to the prominences visible at totality.

#### Binoculars

It is safe to look at a total eclipse with binoculars, just as it is safe to take pictures with a telephoto lens which many people do, but only **DURING TOTALITY**. As mentioned in some of the comments there is a risk if you are not very careful. First of all you must be in the path of totality. Being in an area that will experience 98% or even 99% totality is not the same thing. It's sort of like being somewhat pregnant, you are either in totality or you are not. Anyone who has been in the path of totality for a total solar eclipse knows what I am talking about. If someone lives in one of the areas that will experience near totality, they should make every effort to travel the 100-200 miles or whatever it takes to get into the path of totality, otherwise they will miss the experience of a lifetime.

Even for the last few seconds before totality the tiny piece of Sun that is still visible is very bright, and can be damaging to the naked eye. The problem is that the volume of light reaching your eye at that time is much lower than normal, and so you will not feel any pain and will likely not have the reflex to look away. Even though the sky and surrounding area is getting dark, as long as even a tiny sliver of sunlight appears you must continue to only look at the Sun through eclipse glasses.

[![Eclipse glasses](https://i.sstatic.net/K3Xv0m.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/K3Xv0m.png)

Note that it's a good idea to purchase eclipse glasses a few months before a total eclipse as they will begin to sell out as it gets closer. Welders glass can also be used, but it must be at least shade 14 which is generally not available in a typical hardware store.

Once totality starts it is safe to look at the Sun with the naked eye, binoculars, telephoto lens, etc. In North America totality will last four and a half minutes, although that is only in the center of the track, it can be less if you are further from center. The important thing for safety is to only look with binoculars, etc. during the first part of totality, since your sense of time will be somewhat distorted. My personal experience is that time seems to come to a standstill. So plan to spend maybe 30 seconds or so looking with binoculars, which should be plenty of time to observe any detail. For added safety you can set a timer to go off about a minute before totality ends. But realistically you will probably quickly realize that the naked eye view is much more impressive. Just remember that once you put your binoculars and/or camera down, don't pick them up again for the duration of the eclipse.

Also remember that the moment at the end of totality when the first tiny piece of Sun appears you should immediately begin using your eclipse glasses, as again even that tiny piece of light can be very damaging to your eyes if you stare at it. Some people don't trust their self-discipline to look away when the Sun reappears, and so they put on their eclipse glasses during the last minute of totality. There is nothing wrong with that approach either as it would be the absolute safest.

My personal opinion, having seen a total eclipse, is to forgot binoculars, cameras, etc. and just take it all in. Or plan to use those items only for the first 30 seconds or so, and then put them down and enjoy the spectacle.

> **Comments:**
> **username_12**: Nice complete answer  

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### Answer by username_13 on 2024-07-19. Score: 3

Since this question was asked in anticipation of the 2024 total solar eclipse, I figured I'd follow up with a visual observation report from a rest stop near Abbott, Texas. We were very fortunate to see one naked-eye prominence during totality, visible as a bright pink point on the edge of the lunar disk. There were several other prominences present, but they were not visible without magnification. There were no significant solar flares occurring at the time, and as mentioned above, these are not visible unless they happen to occur at the edge of the sun's disk.

I took [the photo below](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2024-04-08_Eclipse_over_Abbott_afocal_cropped.jpg) afocally using a Celestron C5+ (127 mm f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope) and an Asus Zenfone 9 pointed through a 32 mm eyepiece, with an exposure time of 1/800 s and ISO 100. No eyepiece adapter was used - I held the camera up to the eyepiece, and the exit pupil was easy to locate through the preview due to the high brightness of the corona.

The exposure was selected to reveal the prominences at the expense of outer coronal detail, but both were simultaneously visible to the naked eye and through the eyepiece. The prominence visible to the naked eye is located at the lower left of this image, and due to its extremely high brightness compared to all other features visible at the time, its features are washed out in the image. Other prominences appeared and disappeared as the moon moved throughout totality, invisible to the naked eye but clearly visible through the eyepiece.

[![An afocal astrophotograph of the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024. The prominence visible to the naked eye is visible at the lower left.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/2024-04-08_Eclipse_over_Abbott_afocal_cropped.jpg)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/2024-04-08_Eclipse_over_Abbott_afocal_cropped.jpg)

I will reiterate the warnings from other users about observing the sun through astronomical equipment: **unfiltered sunlight from the photosphere can rapidly cause lasting eye damage, which may not be immediately evident, and can damage any equipment in the optical path. A solar filter is *required* for visual or photographic observation of partial phases: this includes the entirety of an annular eclipse.**

On top of this, I will also echo the sentiment that a total eclipse is best experienced without the burden of trying to get the perfect photograph. My goal with this event, being my first total solar eclipse, was to get one good afocal photograph, and I consider this a success. Even visual aid (binoculars or a telescope) is not necessary to enjoy the experience.

However, **if you understand and accept the risks and know how to mitigate them, observing totality through a telescope is incredibly rewarding.** Numerous smaller and fainter prominences (everything you can see in the image) and fine coronal detail come into full view, and you can see the ionized hydrogen of the chromosphere at the beginning and end of totality (which also serves as a great indicator for when to look away!). My setup provided a magnification of 40x, and unless you're interested in observing a specific prominence in detail, you don't need any more magnification or eyepieces.

I didn't use binoculars for the eclipse, but again, if you understand and accept the risks and know how to mitigate them, they can certainly enhance the experience. Various manufacturers make solar filters for binoculars as well, which are great for both the partial phases of eclipses and sunspot observations.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What an absolutely beautiful picture. Thank you for posting to my question.  
> **username_9**: Great photo! Looks similar to what I saw through 12X binoculars in NE Arkansas. I drove there from SE Texas where I had originally planned to view. I could see the full corona, were you looking through cirrus clouds or did you have the exposure adjusted for the prominences and nearby corona? From photos I have seen when exposure is set to see the full corona then everything closer gets washed out. A high percentage of people viewed this eclipse through cirrus clouds, which is still a great view but it blocks the full corona. I moved literally 15 minutes before totality to get away from cirrus.  
> **username_13**: My location was dominated by cumulus clouds, but we got lucky and the eclipsed sun was only briefly obscured. The reduced sunlight killed the convection before totality. I actually reprocessed the image from the RAW recently (which is available upon request), so hopefully I'll be able to update it on Wikimedia Commons.  

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### Answer by username_14 on 2024-01-22. Score: -1

I've only seen two total solar eclipses, in 1991 and 2017. Both had prominences very visible with naked eye. Heed all the safety warnings mentioned here, but I do recommend having binoculars handy to get a quick peek. But also heed the advice to just take it all in. If you are in North America (only place the 2024 eclipse will be visible) you should be able to get more than 1 minute by getting close to the center line. Google maps has a nice interactive map. Good luck!

> **Comments:**
> **username_15**: NEVER use binoculars to watch a solar eclips! You must at least put an especially created filter on it in order to destroy your eyes! (No experimenting with coffee or other filters, I mean!)  
> **username_0**: Good practice to always be safe.  I think you mean to say "not to" instead of "to" in your comment?  I think maybe a typo. I will have 3 min ot totality over the part of Ohio where I live.  
> **username_14**: I disagree with Dominique, but do agree that one should be exceedingly careful. A good practice would be to set a timer on your phone or watch to let you know when the end is getting close. I would not use binos within 30 seconds to a minute of the end of totality, but do look for prominences, and detail in the Corona. 3 minutes, or 4 if you are better located, gives plenty of safe time to view these details for a few seconds. A safer practice would be to watch where there is a large crowd of dedicated eclipse watchers. There will be folks with large telescopes with the proper filters.  

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