Want to watch the eclipse, but waited until the last minute? You may have already checked stores, discovering that viewing glasses were completely sold out or priced to high heavens. Tough break, kid. But there are other ways to watch today’s total eclipse.
Since the sun appears completely covered by the moon, you might feel alright with looking up at the eclipse bare-eyed. But this can very dangerous since not all of the sun is covered. Some part of the sun’s core will still be exposed during the event, which means you better protect those peepers. Put on some approved eclipse viewing glasses in order to shield your eyes and prevent any damage to your cornea.
According to NASA, do not try and view the eclipse with a regular pair of sunglasses. That may harm your eyes big time. Your eyes are way too valuable, don’t destroy them.
But if you’re desperate to watch the eclipse then stick around for some intriguing home-made remedies…
Solar Eclipse Glasses
You can safety watch the eclipse practically for free if you have the right items and follow these directions properly.
Required Tools
- A lens. More specifically, Number 14 Welder’s Glass, which is available at your local hardware store such as The Home Depot. It’s paramount to your safety that you wear the correct lens. Click here and find out about the right lens to use.
- Large piece of cardstock
- A roll of tape
- A pen
- Scissors
“Look at the sky, you should see absolutely nothing,” Paul Delaney said to Motherboard. “If you can see anything through your solar glasses, with the exception of the Sun, then throw them away.”
Here’s what to do…
- Pick up a pen and create an outline of “handlebars” for the glasses and the lens. The handlebars are what goes around the ears. Need some help, then use this template.
- Use a scissor to cut the outlines
- Whip out some tape and seal the pieces of card-stock together, so that it resembles glasses.
- Cut the lens, so that it fits over the holes on card-stock cutout.
- From the inside of the glasses frame, be sure to tape the lens cutout.
- All done!
Cereal Box Personal Theater
You can view the total eclipse through a cereal box personal theater. Here’s what need to make this dream a reality…
Tools Needed
- An empty cereal box
- A Piece of aluminum foil
- A small nail/pushpin
- Tape
- Scissors
What to do
- Whip out a white piece of paper or cardboard, trace the bottom of the cereal box, cut out a rectangle and secure it to the bottom of the opened box. Look through the rectangle and see into the eclipse…
- Next, you’ll need to cut out two square on top of the box, which measures 1.5 inches each and securely then tape the lid together.
- Whip out some aluminum foil, cover one of the squares and tape it down. Next, you’ll need to place a small nail/pushpin through it.
- While using this new home entertainment system, remember to turn directly away from the sun, as it will allow the rays to shine through the small hole created from the nail/pin. In order to view the eclipse live, you’ll need to gaze through the other hole in the lid, the one without the foil.
- If you follow these directions, you’ll be able to see a projection of the eclipse safely.
Just Use Your Hands, Man…
Tools Needed
- Those Hands, fam.
- That’s it!
What to do
- No pair of glasses? Can’t make a pinpoint solar eclipse viewer? Just use your hands then!
- Remember to start by looking away from the sun, and in the meantime, “crosshatch” those fingers to create tiny holes. Place your hand over one another in a perpendicular fashion, and it’ll look as if you’re peeping through blinds in the curtain.
- Don’t forget that you shouldn’t look directly into the sun through fingers. Therefore, you’ll need to catch the sun’s rays on a sidewalk or building.
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