How to see the eclipse without looking at the sun
How to see the eclipse without looking at the sun full#
If you really want to take advantage and enjoy the full experience, however, here’s a guideline to make sure you are ordering a pair of certified solar filter glasses that will let you safely see the eclipse directly. It’s the same basic process with the eclipse - except the lit objects are the Sun and the Moon, the “lens” is a piece of paper with a hole in it, and the screen is whatever surface you project it onto.Īt the end of the day, a pinhole projector is a fun, quick project for you (or your kids) to view the eclipse. The pinhole only lets a small amount of those reflections through, allowing an image to form (inverted) on the other side of the hole. So when an object is illuminated, light will continue to bounce off it in a straight line. Generally, light travels in straight lines. Pinhole projectors take advantage of a bit of optical physics known as the camera obscura effect. Now that you’ve got your eclipse-viewing plans sorted out, here’s how this device works. Bonus round: the physics of pinhole projectors
D o not look at the Sun directly through the pinhole. Then, using your second piece of paper (or a wall) as a screen, you’ll be able to see an image of the partially obscured Sun, all without burning out your retinas.Īs a safety note: you want to look at the projection created by the pinhole on the wall, so keep your back to the Sun, and look at the image created by the light shining through. Now that you’ve got your piece of paper with a pinhole, hold it up and let the sunlight shine through it. If you’re really in a pinch, you can even make a pinhole projector by just curling your fingers to only let a pinprick of light through. If you’re in a rush or on a budget, just take two stiff pieces of paper (paper plates or card stock tend to work well, but even regular printer paper should do the job) and poke a pinhole in one with a pin. There are many ways to make a pinhole projector, but you really just need two things: something with a pinhole in it, and something to project the image on. Putting together a pinhole projector is about as easy as it gets, and while it doesn’t quite have the same “wow factor” as looking directly at the partially blocked Sun, it’ll still let you safely view what’s happening without potentially going blind. The light and heat is so strong that you could be blinded.13 things to know about the solar eclipseįortunately, there’s another option: a pinhole projector. Never look at the Sun through binoculars, telescopes, or with the naked eye. You will see the eclipse as it takes place. You should be able to see the image of the Sun on the bottom of the box.ĭuring the eclipse, watch the Sun’s image as the Moon crosses in front of the star. Raise the box to your eye and move it around until the Sun is shining directly through the pinhole. Punch a hole in the top of the box with the pin. Here’s an alternative way to view an eclipse, without injuring your eyes. It’s so tempting to look at the Sun i during an eclipse, especially when everyone tells you not to. Hydrogen and helium, which fuel the Sun’s thermonuclear reactions, are the star’s main components. The Sun’s layers are not solid, or molten, like Earth’s, but are comprised of swirling, active gases and particles of matter. Two accepted ways to view the Sun are by projecting the Sun’s image through a telescope onto a screen, and then studying the screen, or by using a manufactured filter over the objective lens, not the eyepiece, of a telescope. Mitch Luman, the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science's resident science expert, has some important advice for people planning on viewing the Aug. Looking at the Sun, even for a few seconds, with the naked eye or through binoculars or telescopes may result in blindness, permanent or temporary, or other damage to your eyes.
It is necessary to discuss looking directly at the Sun because every year people damage their eyes by not taking precautions, especially during eclipses.