How to View the Eclipse Without Glasses
For Those Who Don't Have Glasses
By Dan Schneiderman, Eclipse Partnerships Coordinator at the Rochester Museum and Science Center in New York
Don't fret if you don't have eclipse glasses! There are several safe and creative ways to view the solar eclipse without special eyewear.
1. Use Your Hands: Interlock your fingers and create small square-shaped gaps. Hold your hands up to the sun and look at the eclipse through the openings.
2. Watch the Light Through Tree Leaves: Find a spot with plenty of trees and observe the sunlight filtering through the leaves. The leaves will project tiny crescent-shaped images of the eclipse onto the ground.
3. Create a Modified Cereal Box: Cut a small hole in the bottom of an empty cereal box and cover it with aluminum foil. Poke a pinhole in the foil and hold the box towards the sun.
4. Use a Colander: Hold a colander about 20 inches above the ground and face away from the sun. The holes in the colander will create multiple projections of the eclipse.
5. Build an Eclipse Viewer: With just six items, you can make a homemade eclipse viewer. Place a sheet of aluminum foil over a hole in a piece of cardstock or cardboard. Use a pin to poke a small hole in the foil. On another piece of cardstock, draw a circle the same size as the hole in the first cardstock. During the eclipse, place the second cardstock with the circle over the hole in the first cardstock.
Remember, these methods will not provide the same level of protection as certified eclipse glasses. If you have the opportunity, obtain proper eyewear to safely view the full solar eclipse.
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