Make a DIY Eclipse Viewer!
After witnessing the outrageous acts of scalping going on where these eclipse glasses are concerned, I thought I would demonstrate just how easy and inexpensive it is to make your own "pinhole projector" to watch the eclipse safely. In fact, it's so simple and easy that your kids can make one. Here's how.
What you will need:
A box, like a cereal, pancake mix, or flour box.
Scissors
Tape
Foil
A piece of white paper
A pen or pencil
Using the pen or pencil, trace the bottom of the box onto the piece of white paper and cut it out. Place tape on the back of the paper rectangle and tape onto the inside of the box bottom as shown above.
Using the scissors, cut off the two short flaps from the top of the box, then trim the center flaps to leave the tab that holds it closed, as shown.
Using the tape (masking tape works great, but scorch tape or duct tape will do), tape the tab closed so that the top of the box looks like the picture. If your projector is going to be handled by lots of kids, reinforce the top of it by running some tape around the circumference.
Using the scissors, cut the foil into a square and tape it over one of the large openings in the top of the box. Make sure you tape it securely and that there's no stray light leaking in.
Using a toothpick or the point of the pencil, make an even, round hole in the center of the foil.
Stand with you back to the sun and slowly adjust the projector's position until the sun shines through the hole in the foil. You should see a tiny sun on the white paper at the bottom of the box. As the eclipse occurs, you will be able to see a shadow slowly obscure the tiny sun. You can make the hole a little bigger if you like, but there is a limit as to how big you can go before it stops working.
This is the same viewer we made when I was in Junior High to view the partial eclipse back in the 80's. It works great, and the kids can even customize their viewer with paint or stickers. Enjoy!
What you will need:
A box, like a cereal, pancake mix, or flour box.
Scissors
Tape
Foil
A piece of white paper
A pen or pencil
Using the pen or pencil, trace the bottom of the box onto the piece of white paper and cut it out. Place tape on the back of the paper rectangle and tape onto the inside of the box bottom as shown above.
Using the scissors, cut off the two short flaps from the top of the box, then trim the center flaps to leave the tab that holds it closed, as shown.
Using the tape (masking tape works great, but scorch tape or duct tape will do), tape the tab closed so that the top of the box looks like the picture. If your projector is going to be handled by lots of kids, reinforce the top of it by running some tape around the circumference.
Using a toothpick or the point of the pencil, make an even, round hole in the center of the foil.
Stand with you back to the sun and slowly adjust the projector's position until the sun shines through the hole in the foil. You should see a tiny sun on the white paper at the bottom of the box. As the eclipse occurs, you will be able to see a shadow slowly obscure the tiny sun. You can make the hole a little bigger if you like, but there is a limit as to how big you can go before it stops working.
This is the same viewer we made when I was in Junior High to view the partial eclipse back in the 80's. It works great, and the kids can even customize their viewer with paint or stickers. Enjoy!
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