Keeping Your Eyes Safe When Observing the Sun

Don't ever look directly at the Sun through a telescope or in any other way, unless you have the proper filters! For more details, see Solar Filters and Protective Filters for Direct Visual Observation of the Sun Technical Specification

You can permanently damage your eyes by looking at a solar eclipse BEFORE totality. See Eye Safety During Solar Eclipses

"Sunlight is very bright, and looking directly at the Sun with the naked eye for brief periods can be painful, but is generally not hazardous. However, there are lots of caveats. See Wikipedia Article on Sun Observation and Eye Damage

Did Galileo Go Blind by Observing the Sun? Nope. Galileo understood eye safety.