Hey Reader,

You might have heard that a full solar eclipse is happening on Monday, April 8. The show will vary depending on location, but it’s the last total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous U.S. until 2044.

Those fortunate enough to have seen a total solar eclipse say it's an event not to be missed! Unfortunately, not everyone in the US will be lucky enough to see the total eclipse on Monday, but a partial eclipse will be visible for many people worldwide.

The eclipse will be visible in the West of Europe, North America, North of South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Arctic—but only if no clouds are in the way.

Overcast skies have crushed the hopes of many solar eclipse observers in the past. Hopefully, there will be bluebird skies, and the sun will shine to reveal a magical celestial display.

During a solar eclipse, the moon moves between the Earth and the sun and fully or partially blocks the sun's light. In a total solar eclipse, the sun seems to disappear for a few minutes, and the sky grows so dark it's almost as if night has fallen.

In a partial solar eclipse, the moon only partially obstructs the sun's light, so you will see a dark sliver of the moon's shadow on the sun or a projection of it during the eclipse.

Because it is essential to avoid looking directly at the sun during a total or partial solar eclipse, making a homemade solar eclipse projector is necessary to protect your eyes from irreparable damage if you'd like to see it.

A pinhole projector is one example of a simple tool you can make to safely view the sun during a full or partial solar eclipse.

One way to do this is to make a pinhole projector that projects an image of the Sun onto another nearby paper screen. This allows the viewer to “see” the eclipse without looking at it directly.

Follow these instructions if you want to try this simple method of viewing the solar eclipse on Monday, the 8th.

How to Make a Pinhole Projector:

1. First, use a pin to punch a small hole in a piece of heavyweight cardstock (a notecard or thin recycled cardboard, such as a cereal or cracker box, also works well).
2. Once you have punched a hole in the cardstock (notecard or thin cardboard), use it as the “projector” to project an image of the Sun onto a nearby surface.
3. The projection surface or screen can be another piece of cardstock held by someone or something, another note card, a wall, a tabletop in the sun, or even the ground.
4. After determining your projection surface, put another sheet of white cardstock or paper on the viewing surface to create a bright white “screen” to make viewing the sun’s projection easier.
5. Finally, look down or turn your back on the sun to allow its light to shine through the hole in the projection screen. Direct the pinhole of light onto the bright white paper. This will project a tiny but accurate image of the Sun onto the paper that rests on the surface you select as the projection screen. The sun's image on the paper projection screen will be small but mighty in educational value.

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If you try this activity, please use caution and protect your eyesight and the eyes of the children (or students) in your care by wearing sunglasses outdoors and not looking at the sun directly.

Enjoy,

Nell

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