Only during "total eclipses" can you look directly at the sun, and then, only during the totality part of it.
Annular eclipses can fool a lot of people into burning their eyes...
Viewing the Sun during partial and annular eclipses (and during total eclipses outside the brief period of totality) requires special eye protection, or indirect viewing methods, if eye damage is to be avoided. The Sun's disk can be viewed using appropriate filtration to block the harmful part of the Sun's radiation. Sunglasses do not make viewing the sun safe. Only properly designed and certified solar filters should ever be used for direct viewing of the Sun's disk.[42] Especially, self-made filters using common objects like a floppy disk removed from its case, a Compact Disc, a black colour slide film, etc. must be avoided despite what may have been said in the media.
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It is safe to observe the total phase of a solar eclipse directly with the unaided eye, binoculars or a telescope, when the Sun's photosphere is completely covered by the Moon. During this period the sun is too dim to be seen through filters. The Sun's faint corona will be visible, and the chromosphere, solar prominences, and possibly even a solar flare may be seen. However, viewing the Sun after totality can be dangerous.
“I flew my Lear Jet to Nova Scotia,
but there was no total eclipse of the sun.
I’m so lame, I probably think this song is about me.”
Sorry Carly, I just had to do it.
Your advice is spot on.
I did view a partial (about 95%) in Boston in the early ‘70’s by looking at it through 4 stacked lens from welding goggles I had - and even then I was a bit worried that I might have fried my eyeballs (although I was in my 20’s at the time, and thus pretty certain of my invincibility).
“You’ll burn your eyes out, kid.”