Homemade Eclipse Viewers: Safe Ways to Watch the Solar Eclipse
Pinhole Projectors
Pinhole viewers are a simple and effective way to safely view a solar eclipse. To make a pinhole viewer, you will need a piece of card stock or cardboard and a pin. Poke a small hole in the center of the card stock or cardboard with the pin. Stand with your back to the sun and hold the card stock or cardboard in front of your eyes. You will see a small, inverted image of the sun projected onto the ground. You can move the card stock or cardboard closer to or farther from your eyes to adjust the size of the image.
Other Methods
In addition to pinhole viewers, there are a few other methods you can use to safely view a solar eclipse. One method is to use a kitchen colander. The tiny holes in the colander will project light from the eclipse onto a piece of paper or cardboard so that you can see the effect. Another method is to create a pinhole projector. To make a pinhole projector, you will need a box, a piece of aluminum foil, and a pin. Poke a small hole in the center of the aluminum foil. Tape the aluminum foil over the opening of the box. Point the box towards the sun and hold a piece of paper or cardboard behind the pinhole. You will see a small, inverted image of the sun projected onto the paper or cardboard.
If you do not have any of the materials needed to make a pinhole viewer or a pinhole projector, you can still safely view the solar eclipse by using your hands. To do this, stand with your back to the sun and make a waffle pattern with your fingers. Hold your hands up to your eyes and look through the spaces between your fingers. You will see a small, inverted image of the sun projected onto the ground.
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