The Sun

[foxgrrl]

When you stare at the sun, do you see a bright crescent spinning around the edge of the disk, or is it just me?
If you see it, does it spin clockwise, counter-clockwise, or periodically switch between both?

Comments

[foxgrrl]

I've been staring at the sun for years, and it's never hurt me. (But then again, I haven't done it for long durations, since I was a little kid.)

[pope-guilty.livejournal.com]

I don't stare at the sun; I can barely open my eyes outside when the damn thing isn't obscured by friendly clouds as it is.

[didjiman.livejournal.com]

I have looked at the sun very rarely, like during the Solstice vigil Sing Up the Sun, but probably less than a couple seconds at a time. No crescent.

[pope-guilty.livejournal.com]

For reference, this is pretty much me on the right here:

[idea-fairy.livejournal.com]

I see something like what you describe, but I wouldn't call it a crescent.

It's more like most of the sun is sort of blocked out by a disk that isn't quite as bright as the sun itself would be. And this disk sort of shifts back and forth a bit, so around the edges I get what might be described as crescents, but not exactly.

I think it's caused by a combination of retinal cells being overloaded and my gaze shifting back and forth slightly so cells near the edge of the image are getting hit intermittently and thus get a chance to start to recover from the overload before they get hit again.

[futcion.livejournal.com]

Best trick question evar!

[kitten-goddess.livejournal.com]

I see interesting sunspots when I stare at the floor afterwards.

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

Ah. Yes. That's me, too.

If I could get away with welding gear at work, I would try it.

Hurm. Maybe I should become a welder.

[proudlyfallen.livejournal.com]

I'm seconding idea_fairy, except in my case, the disk is DEFINITELY not as bright. It almost looks black against what you'd think the sun to be, and I see all that light that should be where the black disk is, spread out in these bright concentric circles.

The technical term for this, of course, is halos, and seeing them is the main reason I'm considering LASIK surgery -- they're the main side effect, and I have them already! Odds are in my favor!

[dv-girl.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you are seeing the compression of spacetime around the sun and the frame dragging effect its rotation. ;)

More likely, you're seeing the afterimage of it on your retinas and the scan pattern of your eyes. (I'm guessing)

[r-monoxide.livejournal.com]

I used to stare at the sun, but I'm too goth now. I think what you're seeing is your eye cells or retina cells or whatever being burnt.

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

It does tend to loosen the restrictions on wearing welding gear at work.

[centauress.livejournal.com]

I see a brightly flashing disk of various colors; blues, whites, greens, inverse colors, with a halo of the 'right' color around it.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

DO NOT STARE AT THE SUN. Permanent eye damage WILL result, almost immediately!