We were warned as children not to look at the sun – you will go blind – something called solar retinopathy.

While damage could be a reality, warnings of total blindness were probably overstated.

Tauranga Astronomical Society president Stuart Murray watching the sun from 150 million kilometres away. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

A photograph of the sun, which was taken by Tauranga Astronomical Society's George Gomez with the new solar telescope.

However, staring at the sun in Tauranga can now be a safe, exciting and spectacular experience.

The Tauranga Astronomical Society has invested $4000 in an instrument which enables safe gazing at sunspots, solar flares and all the other 'dramatic and dynamic” events occurring on the surface of the sun.

'These unimaginably large bursts of energy can only be viewed clearly with this sort of telescope,” says Tauranga Astronomical Society president Stuart Murray.

'You've probably seen pictures in books of the major eruptions, massive explosions in the sun's atmosphere – they extend millions and millions of kilometres from the surface of the sun.

'They put on a wonderful show and now we have a chance to see them first-hand.”

Most of the sun is made up of hydrogen and during periods of explosive activity there is a very narrow red part of the light spectrum that can be viewed.

The new telescope is designed with special filters cutting out the white, blue and green light so only the red light of those massive solar disturbances can be seen.

'You can probably sense my excitement,” says Stuart.

'It's a very small manoeuvrable instrument so we can get it out quickly, stick it on the deck and take a look at the sun which is easy to line up.”

'We will pick up information and advice from the professionals around the planet. They will tell us what is happening and we will take a look.”

It's quite a departure for the club, which normally views stars, planets and other heavenly bodies through its big telescope at night.

The new telescope is not just for the buffs. 'We want to encourage people of all ages to know we have an observatory with instruments, which will allow them to become aware of what exists beyond planet earth.”

To learn more about the club or new telescope, view the Tauranga Astronomical Society Facebook page or call 07 576 1943.