Projecting the Sun
Avoid looking directly at the Sun without proper eye protection. You can seriously hurt your eyes and even experience instant bright light blindness.
Projecting the Sun through a box projector, or using binoculars or telescope, or simply 2 pieces of cardboard is a safe and easy way to view a solar eclipse.
Simple Card Projector
The simplest and quickest way to safely project the Sun is with a projector made from only 2 pieces of card or paper.
You Need:
- 2 pieces of stiff white cardboard, e.g. 2 paper plates
- alternatively, 2 sheets of plain white paper
- a thumbtack, a sharp pin, or a needle
What to Do:
- To make a quick version of the pinhole projector, take a sheet of paper and make a tiny hole in the middle of it using a pin or a thumbtack. Make sure that the hole is round and smooth.
- With your back towards the Sun, hold 1 piece of paper above your shoulder allowing the Sun to shine on the paper.
- The 2nd sheet of paper will act as a screen. Hold it at a distance, and you will see an inverted image of the Sun projected on the paper screen through the pinhole.
- To make the image of the Sun larger, hold the screen paper further away from the paper with the pinhole.
A box projector works on the same principles, it requires a little more time and a few extra items to construct, but it is more sturdy.
Keep Safe!
- Never look at the Sun directly without protective eye gear. Even sunglasses cannot protect your eyes from the damage the Sun’s rays can do to them.
- Always keep your back towards the Sun while looking at a pinhole projection.
- Do not look at the Sun through the pinhole.
AEROSPACE and ASTRONAUTICS 