If you’re looking forward to Monday’s solar eclipse but can’t get your hands on eclipse glasses for some reason, there’s another option for watching the spectacle safely.
Chances are you have everything you need to build a DIY viewing device at home.
So how does it work?
A pinhole eclipse viewer projects an image through a small hole in an object, onto a surface, allowing you to observe the light safely, according to the Adler Planetarium. You can project light onto a wall, floor or surface inside your pinhole projector.
NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Brant Miller and Telemundo Chicago Meteorologist Maricela Vazquez explained the step-by-step process of creating an eclipse viewing box Friday evening during special coverage of the eclipse on the NBC Chicago streaming channel.
Supplies
- Large cardboard box
- A sheet of paper
- Adhesive tape
- Aluminum foil
- Scissors
- Pin
Step by step instructions
- Step 1: First, take a large cardboard box. Although you may have heard of people using cereal boxes, you’ll need something with a longer focal length, according to Miller.
- 2nd step: Take a piece of white paper and tape it to one side of the inside of the box.
- Step 3: On the opposite side of where you placed the piece of paper, cut a small square out of the cardboard.
- Step 4: Take a piece of foil and tape it over the hole, making sure the hole is completely covered.
- Step 5: Using a pin, make a small hole in the center of the foil.
Although creating an observation box is an ideal way to get children interested in the eclipse, scissors are required, so adult supervision is essential.
NBC Chicago
