Is it true that if you look at the sun for 1 second you will die?

Question

read this on a email from my favorite uncle

Answer 1

No, it's not true.  But you can go blind if you look at the sun to long, it's intensity will damage your retina.

Answer 2

Yes.  Since dying is inevitable, if you look into the sun for a second, you will die.  However, looking into the sun for a second will not cause you to die.

Answer 3

nope, not even go blind....

i used to make it a game to see how long i could stare at the sun before i had to close my eyes..... countless years later i have 20/20 vision..

it's just something that CAN happen, it's not a given (by that i mean going blind, you're never gonna die from stariing at the sun unless you're close enough that the heat and radiation alone would kill.....)

btw i've made it to a solid minute (with practice)

i also had a reason to do so... i had eye surgery when i was 5, as a result, my eyes were EXTREMELY sensitive to light (i wasn't even allowed to open them for a few weeks.... i had bandages over my eyes at all times) staring at the sun kinda of trained me to deal with it.... it doesn't feel the same when i'm out in the daylight.... even normal daylihgt makes me squint to a point where my eyes are nearly closed.... but before staring at the sun i couldn't even have my eyes open in the daylight, they'd just close no matter how hard i tried to force them open.

Answer 4

Yes. And no.

YES...If you look at the sun or do anything else or do nothing, you will die. We all die someday.

NO...Looking at the sun is not good for your eyes and can cause damage, but it is not fatal.

Answer 5

No.  Even staring at the Sun for a few minutes doesn't cause permanent blindness (a few months, maybe - it's not recommended).  No matter how long you stare at it, it won't kill you.  But looking at the Sun through a telescope without a filter WILL cause blindness - it's very concentrated.

Answer 6

No you won't die. You might damage your eyes though. Maybe even be totally blinded. I mean it *hurts* just to glance at it. That should tell you something!

Answer 7

no. of course not.

you will damage your eyes if you look too long without protecting them, but that's another matter. with the correct protection, the sun is a fascinating object.

Answer 8

If that was true I think most children would die. I know I would have.

Answer 9

yes!!!!!!! why do you think im dead

Answer 10

no you have at least 4 seconds

Answer 11

haven't you ever accidentally looked at the sun for 1 second?

Answer 12

You won't die, but you might damage your eyes, especially at higher altitudes where there is more ultraviolet. And if you look through a device that collects a large amount of light, like a telescope, you could actually melt your eyes in a few seconds— so DO NOT EVER do that.

The safest way to observe the sun, say for a solar eclipse, is by projecting the image through a pinhole onto a piece of cardstock. The tiny hole will act like a lens and also cut the intensity down to a safe level, creating an image of the sun.

Answer 13

No, you're uncle is joshing with you.

Your eyes will be damaged, perhaps by a very small amount, or you might get seriously damaged eyeballs if it's a direct glare and something like snow or rain reflects and amplifies the beam. But you won't die.

Answer 14

Die, no.  Go blind?  Quite possible that you will do permanent damage to your optical nerves.