Tomorrow (Monday, August 21, 2017) there will be a total eclipse of the Sun that will be visible in many places across North America. While this is a rare and special event, it can also be dangerous. Staring at the Sun, even for a short time can cause partial blindness or even total blindness.

Do not look at the Sun with unprotected eyes. Only use special glasses made just for this purpose. Sun glasses, no matter how good, are not good enough.

If you can’t get those special glasses there are safe ways to see the eclipse. One of the simplest is to make a small hole with a nail or pin in a sheet of card-stock. Like a file folder or cardboard from a cereal box. Then turn your back to the Sun and look at the shadow of that cardboard on a light coloured background — like another sheet of that cardboard. The Sunlight that passes through the pinhole will be an image of the Sun that is safe to view.

It is possible to use almost any small hole as a pinhole. It can be interesting to see all the images of the Eclipse you might find caused by holes in objects casting shadows — like the gaps between leaves in a tree or the holes in a colander. (normally used to strain stuff in the kitchen like pasta)

Here is a good plan for a pinhole projection viewer from NASA. It is inexpensive, easy to make, and cheap to make.

How to Make a Pinhole Projector to View the Solar Eclipse — NASA

This is a safe way to view the eclipse. The eclipse will be worth seeing even if you are not in the narrow track across the US that is a Total eclipse.

Oh, and check the article and links below the YouTube video for important links and information!

Some more information from NASA.

Please be safe! Many people have had permanent eye damage and even blindness by looking at the Sun without proper protection.

I hope you enjoy these and I would really appreciate your spreading the word. My stories are spread by word-of-mouth so this is the way that others might also see them.

Thank you!

DWPenner

For more stories check out:

• Space Trek stories.
• The Gnomestead Tapestry stories.
• Wheel Tales of Willow City stories.