How To Make Viewing Glasses For Solar Eclipse

Safely Witness the Solar Eclipse with DIY Viewing Glasses

Craft Your Own Protective Eyewear for Saturday's Celestial Event

Prepare to experience Saturday's solar eclipse safely and conveniently with homemade viewing glasses. These simple and inexpensive DIY projects will allow you to admire the celestial wonder without risking damage to your eyes.

Making a Solar Eclipse Pinhole Viewer

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Aluminum foil
• Pin or thumbtack

Instructions:

1. Cut a circle from the cardboard, approximately 4 inches in diameter.
2. Smoothly cover the hole with aluminum foil.
3. Flip the paper over and use a pin or thumbtack to poke a small hole in the foil.
4. Hold the viewer facing the sun and project the image of the eclipse onto a white surface.

Doctors' Advice for Safe Viewing Glasses

Before using any solar eclipse viewing glasses, it's crucial to ensure they meet safety standards. According to reputable eye doctors, glasses should meet the following criteria:

• ISO 12312-2 certification
• CE certification
• Warning label stating "Caution: Do not look directly at the sun with these glasses"

Alternative Methods: Hands and Binoculars

In addition to homemade viewers, you can also safely observe the solar eclipse using the following methods:

• Use your hands: Create a small "pinhole" by overlapping your fingers with one hand vertical and the other horizontal. Hold your hands over your head and look at the ground. You should see a small projection of the eclipse.
• Use binoculars: While binoculars do not provide the same level of protection as certified solar eclipse glasses, you can safely observe the eclipse with binoculars by covering the front objective lens with two layers of solar eclipse viewing film.