Why can you look at a sunrise or sunset for an extended period but can’t look at the sun in the middle of the sky for now than a second?

Question

Why can you look at a sunrise or sunset for an extended period but can’t look at the sun in the middle of the sky for now than a second?

In: 15

Answer 1

There’s a lot more air in the path to the sun during a sunrise/sunset which reduces the strength of the sunlight making it less extreme for the eyes. This is also where the sunset gets its red hue, the air absorbs more of the blue side of the spectrum which leaves more red. This effect is not that big when the sun is in the sky, but during sunset the increased path of air makes it more noticable.