Reliable paper-framed glasses are the most popular option for safely viewing Monday’s total solar eclipse. But they were harder to find in some places before the event.
If you’ve checked everywhere — your local planetarium, public library and even online — fear not: There’s still a way to view the eclipse safely, using things around the house. Here are some options.
Use your hands
Palm up, position one hand over the other at a 90-degree angle. Open your fingers slightly in a waffle pattern, and let the sunlight flow through the spaces onto the ground, or other surface. During an eclipse, you can see the projection of the moon covering the surface of the sun.
This method works with anything with holes, such as a straw hat, a strainer, a cheese grater or even a perforated spoon. You’ll also notice this effect when light from a partially dimmed sun shines through the leaves on a tree.
Set up a cardstock screen
For this option, you need some white index cards or two sheets of cardstock paper. First, punch a small hole in the center of one of the cards using a thumbtack or a pin.
Then, moving away from the sun, let the light flow through this hole. Position the second card underneath to act as a screen. Adjust the space between the two cards to make the sun projection bigger or smaller.
Build a box projector
If you’re up for a little crafting, you can go a little more sophisticated pinhole projector. Start with a cardboard box – empty cereal boxes are often used, but you can also use a larger box. You will also need scissors, white paper, tape, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack.
Cut the piece of paper to fit inside the bottom of the cardboard box to act as a screen. Use tape to hold it in place.
At the top of the box, cut two rectangular holes on either side. (The center should be left intact — you can use tape to secure it if needed.)
Tape a piece of aluminum foil over one of the rectangular cutouts. Punch a small hole in the center of the foil with a tack or pin. The other cutout will serve as a view hole.
With your back to the sun, place the foil side of the box over your shoulder, letting the light stream through the pinhole. An image of the sun appears on the screen below the box, which you can see through the view hole. A larger box will create a larger image.
Enjoy the show at any of these temporary pinholes. And remember, on the whole, you can look at the sun directly with your eye. But you must stop looking at the sun as soon as it reappears.
