Why do people look at sunsets?

I thought you could go blind looking at the sun.

Edit: My title was worded badly. I meant how people don’t go blind. I understand why people look at sunsets, just not how they do blind. That’s my fault.

Edit: Thanks for all the replies and clarification!

Here’s what I learned incase anyone else has had the same question as me, the reason we don’t go blind is that we’re usually looking at the colours of the sky during a sunset and only some few second glances at the sun.

Looking at the sun also doesn’t make us go blind during sunrise and sunset because the light rays have to go through more atmosphere, so by the time they reach your eyes, the rays are weaker. It’s fine to look at the sun for a few seconds when it’s more red than white or yellow.

Again, thanks for all the clarification.

Jordan117,

When the sun is very low (nearly touching or even partly below the horizon), it’s typically shining through such a large amount of atmosphere that the sunlight is significantly weakened by the time it reaches your eyes. This isn’t always true though, for ex if the air is unusually dry, clear, or thin (such as near the poles). Good rule of thumb is that if it looks red rather than yellow or white, it’s likely safe to look at for at least a few seconds.

ProvokedGamer,
@ProvokedGamer@lemmy.ca avatar

Thanks

RIP_Cheems,
@RIP_Cheems@lemmy.world avatar

Because it is beautiful and interesting to look at, especially if your in the right place. The same rule applies to sunrises as well, a d a good place for that is pretty place, sc

MysticCetic,

Because it might be their last. *The one gloomy commenter. We are looking at the sky change colors and not directly at the sun. As everyone else said on this thread.

Snorf,

You don’t look AT the sunset. You look at what the sunset does to the scene in front of you.

glitchinthematrix,

A new opportunity to get the green flash

FaizalR,
@FaizalR@kbin.social avatar

@ProvokedGamer Because it is so much better than keep looking at the screen.

ProvokedGamer,
@ProvokedGamer@lemmy.ca avatar

True

fubo,

Patterns of vivid color might be stimulating to us because in the ancestral environment, they meant survival-critical things like “this is a tasty fruit” or “here’s the water in the desert”.

T156,

They did also mean “this is highly poisonous”, so some wires might have been crossed along the way.

Chickenstalker,

It is probably hardwired in our brains to notice such things for survival purposes. Sunset signifies the day is ending and the time of resting and fornicating is at hand.

ivanafterall,
@ivanafterall@kbin.social avatar

SO much fornicating. Like, enough with the coitus already!

martinbasic,
@martinbasic@lemmy.world avatar

It’s because sunset can be romantic if you sit with somebody, such as your partner.

PrettyBlackDress,

Bc ouch

doctorspike,

Tell me you live in a city without telling me you live in a city.

But srsly it’s because it’s beautiful and unique every time. And the sun is below the horizon when we are looking

FuglyDuck,
@FuglyDuck@lemmy.world avatar

Even as the sun isn’t below the horizon…. You’re not usually looking at the sun.

OP probably also wonders why people look at stars. “Milky Way ain’t real, man!” Was a depressing thing a kid told me.

ProvokedGamer, (edited )
@ProvokedGamer@lemmy.ca avatar

I wasn’t wondering about the appeal. I got that. I was wondering how people don’t go blind since looking at the sun can make you permanently blind. I realize my title was worded pretty badly.

FuglyDuck,
@FuglyDuck@lemmy.world avatar

you can glance at the sun for brief moments and not got blind. it’s long term staring that becomes the problem. When watching the sunset, it’s usually everything else that’s being watched.

ProvokedGamer,
@ProvokedGamer@lemmy.ca avatar

Oh ok, so we usually look at everything else (like the colours and stuff) + glancing at the sun for a few seconds is fine + the sun is less blind inducing during dawn and dusk (from a different person’s comment). I think I understand this now, thanks!

caseyweederman,

Well yeah, that’s because it’s actually a photo of the Andromeda galaxy.

douglasg14b,
@douglasg14b@lemmy.world avatar

Reddit quality toxicity right here.

And on NoStupidQuestions of all places.

Can we not?

Iunnrais,

The sun high up in the sky produces light that has to go through a thin layer of air to reach you, and is really powerful. It’s so much light that it can burn your retinas. The sun near the horizon produces light that goes through hundreds of miles of atmosphere, scattering a lot of the light, and the remaining light is safe to view.

Kolanaki,
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

You don’t usually look directly at the sun, just the sky itself as it changes colors. At just the right time of twilight (dawn or dusk), the sun isn’t even visible, but it’s light can still be seen turning the sky a pretty gradient of blues and purples or reds and yellows.

ProvokedGamer,
@ProvokedGamer@lemmy.ca avatar

Ohhh that makes more sense. Thanks!

SharkEatingBreakfast,
@SharkEatingBreakfast@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

You precious angel. 💗

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