On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing northeast from Mexico to Canada. Viewers in her 15 U.S. states along the total orbit will have a chance to see the sun completely obstructed, while nearly every other state will see at least a partial eclipse.
But no matter where you view the eclipse, you need to do so safely. Looking at the sun is extremely dangerous, even if most of its light is obscured by the moon. Just as a magnifying glass can focus enough sunlight onto a leaf to start a fire, the lens of the eye can also focus fragments of that light onto the retina, causing it to burn. And because the retina doesn't have pain receptors, you can damage your vision without even realizing it's happening.
Let's make this perfectly clear. Do not look at the sun during a partial solar eclipse. A solar eclipse can only be safely observed with the naked eye for a few minutes during the totality period, when the sun's disk is completely covered by the moon.
Instead, NASA recommends wearing approved eclipse glasses or observing the phenomenon indirectly through a hand-held eclipse viewer. If you don't have these things on hand, don't worry. The best way to view the eclipse is with a simple pinhole camera that you can make from materials you have around the house. Here's how:
Related: Where to find the best weather to watch the April 8 solar eclipse (and what if it's cloudy where you are)
Things necessary
All you need to make this is a few household items: a box (even a shoe box), a small piece of aluminum foil, white paper, tape, pins or needles, and a box cutter or X-Acto knife.
step 1
Cut a small hole, about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter, in one end of the shoe box near the top.
Step 2
Tape aluminum foil over the hole.
Step 3
Use a pin or needle to make a hole in the center of the foil.
Step 4
Tape a small piece of white paper to the inside edge of the box, opposite the foil-covered hole. The paper should be positioned so that the light that enters the box through the pin holes hits it. This is a “projection screen” that looks for images of the sun.
Step 5
Drill a 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) hole in the side of the box adjacent to the image screen (white paper). This is your observation hole. It should be placed so that you can see the white paper when looking at it from an angle.
Step 6
Return the lid to the box.
look at the solar eclipse
To test the viewer, take it outside on a sunny day, hold a shoebox, and make sure the viewer's own shadow matches the sunlight.
When you look through the peephole, you will see a small ring of light on the image screen. It's the sun. During a solar eclipse, the moon's shadow can be seen passing in front of the sun.
Remember: Even when the sun is partially covered by the moon, looking directly at the sun can cause serious eye damage and blindness. I never have View a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection.
Update: This article was updated on March 20, 2024 to include relevant information about the April 8 total solar eclipse.