On Mon, 6 Aug 2012, Joe from Kokomo wrote:

On 8/2/2012 3:43 PM, Beloved Leader wrote:
On Thursday, August 2, 2012 3:24:52 PM UTC-4, (unknown) wrote:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/rt_plots/kp_3d.html Kp=5 Jim (MI)

Using binoculars, I saw a huge sunspot at sunrise this morning, which
for me was right after 6:00 a.m. outside Washington, DC. It looked
like the transit of Venus. Really, it was that large and noticeable.

The atmosphere was so humidity-laden that I could look at the sun
through the binoculars without any needing any glass from a welder's
mask. YMMV.

I hope you realize that amongst the rods and cones on your retina, there are
NO pain receptors.

It is really easy to damage your retina and not realize it -- and looking
through a telescope or binoculars without a solar filter (not depending on
clouds) can quickly cause serious damage.

NEVER look at the sun without a solar filter. Do NOT depend on clouds or fog.

Oh, did I mention NEVER?

That was why during the eclipse of 1970, everyone was told the safest
method was to pit a tiny hole in a box and watch the projection against
the other side.

Michael