Specifically, is an electronic welding helmet safe to look at the sun?

Short answer, I wouldn't try it.

Take a cardboard box, put a pinhole in it (aka pinhole camera), and aim the hole at the sun. Put a sheet of white paper below the hole so that the sunlight beam coming through the hole shines on the paper. Move the the sheet of paper farther away from or closer to the hole to set the image size. Enjoy the view. No danger in doing that.

I have always used 3-4 layers of exposed film taped to the end of a small set of binoculars! The welding helmet was not dark enough (at least mine) to completly cut through the glare and you would not be able to see the dot of Venus!

Lenses are rated. If I recall, 12 is safe. But that's full solar. If it seems bright, then don't. Pretty simple really.

If you look, then look away, then see remnants.... You are DOOMED. Doomed I say.

After the recent full on eclipse, you might as well watch this one with a pinhole shoebox. Meh.

No eclipse for east coasters.

When we are lucky enough to get one, it's usually cloudy.

Twelve is still a little unsafe. You can use #14 welding goggles (rare) or buy solar-certified specs prior. The exposed film trick works also. I'm looking at it now with both #14 goggles and solar-certified specs and even the #14s are hurting a little.

My kids bought cheap special cardboad framed glasses from amazon. Work great. We are watching the eclipse now.

Most dedicated welding stores sell #14 masks if you can find a store nearby. The problem is, most are still out of stock from the recent solar eclipse.. #14 are fine for the quick glance at the sun I'd say.

I used my Harbor Freight Shield ... worked great. Shiny disk, black dot. I am not going to stand there and watch all 6 hours / 40 mins of transit time.

Now that the thrill is over I guess I'll go back to my totally dull life.

Oh, the auto-darkening welding helmet didn't get dark enough.

mine wouldnt turn on. i had to use my old school regular lens.... its pretty cool to see another planet.

Did just that, you can even see some sunspots!



Click to view attachment

Adjusted for the weird camera angle ...

And if you are lazy like me, use this link:

See Venus Transit the Sun

and use the University of New Mexico feed ............

+1 My auto-darkening one didn't work. Old school yes.

Andys

I watched the last eclipse thru a Lay's Chip bag (mylar). A party balloon (the silver foil type, also Mylar) works, also.

Simple answer - yes. Auto darkening helmets provide full UV protection even in the light state.
The only problem if the lens isn't dark enough or doesn't switch to the dark state, is your eyes will get tired of the brightness quickly. There are no lasting negative effects.

Woah. Depends on the darkening level. My "electronic welding helmet" rocks, but....
You have to adjust the darkening level with a knob. And even at full dark, some critics will still give you grief. Mine was fine.

Like I said before, can you look at it without it seeming too bright, then look away with no artifacts??
There's no substitute for common sense.

Thought I'd share this for fun....

http://gizmodo.com/5916350/this-amazing-sp...dium=socialflow

It was cloudy here.

I used to have an auto darkening lens that was real touchy. It would switch if there was an incandescent bulb nearby. And I know it switched when aimed at the sun. I guess I don't have that lens anymore though.
All arc welding lenses provide 100% protection from UV, including auto darkening lenses regardless of their darkness level. An electric arc is obviously brighter than the sun if the sun won't even make an a/d lens switch to dark.
Just for hahas, today I tried looking at the sun with my auto darkening helmet.
It wouldn't switch to dark state so I couldn't really look at the sun directly.
But I did anyway... it was too bright...I had to look away after only a few seconds. There was a distinct, but not too bright, afterglow in my eyes for a few seconds but there were no lasting effects.

I was out watching it with my kids (regular welding mask + binoculars worked great) on the front lawn and a guy walking his dogs came by and said "you know you can just watch that on TV". I wanted to say... "you know you can just buy stuffed animals, no need for real ones".

Whats wrong with using my own eyes to see the real thing. Watching it later is what YouTube is for!

Richard

For those who missed it... this is spectacular.

Footage from NASA