How to Watch a Solar Eclipse — 6 Great & Safe Options

Last Updated on Mar 14 2024

Watching a solar eclipse is one of the most exciting things that you can do in your lifetime, even if you aren’t particularly interested in science or astronomy. They only occur occasionally, about once every 18 months, so you don’t get many opportunities to see one. Also, if you don’t do it correctly, watching one can damage your eyesight. Many people want to know how they can safely watch an eclipse in their area. Keep reading as we provide you with several different methods to experience this event without damaging your eyesight.

How to Watch a Solar Eclipse — 6 Great & Safe Options

1. Pinhole Projector

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The pinhole projector is a time-tested method that school kids worldwide use to watch a solar eclipse every year, and it’s one of the methods that NASA recommends. To make a pinhole projector, you will need two pieces of cardboard. Make a tiny pinhole with a thumbtack or pin in one piece of cardboard to create your projector. The other piece is your viewing screen. Stand with your back toward the sun, and hold the cardboard over your shoulder. The sunlight will shine through the pinhole onto the paper, showing an inverted sun image that you can use to see the eclipse without damaging your eyesight. You can make the image larger by moving the viewscreen farther away from the projector.

2. Your Hands

If you happen to be alone and far away from any tools during the eclipse, you can create a pinhole projector using your hands. Hold up your hands with one at a right angle to the other to create pinholes with your fingers. You can then use a hard surface, like the sidewalk or pavement, as the viewscreen to see the eclipse.

3. Pinhole Projector With Binoculars

One of the best ways to view the eclipse is to create a pinhole projector with binoculars. It enables you to view a clear image that isn’t possible with other methods. You will still need two pieces of cardboard, but instead of using one to create a projector, you will use it to make a sun shield around the binocular lens. You then point the binoculars toward the sun, but you don’t look through them. Instead, you allow the eyepiece to shine onto the second cardboard piece, the view screen. It can be frustrating to get the binoculars to point at the sun at the right angle, but you will see a highly detailed image once you are successful.

4. Welders Glasses

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Welder’s glasses are relatively easy to find because many autobody shops need them, so you can find them in any home improvement center, and they aren’t that expensive. The downside is that they are available in many shades, and many of them are not dark enough to protect your eyes for the duration of a solar eclipse, which can last several minutes. If you decide on this method, you must find 14-shade welding glasses, the darkest ones that you can get to protect your eyesight.

5. Telescope Glass Filters

Telescope solar filters are similar to welding glasses, but they are specifically for viewing an eclipse, so you know that it will be dark enough. These filters attach to the objective lens of your telescope so you can safely view the eclipse while benefitting from the magnification. This gives astronomers a magnificent image of the sun’s surface, and it’s how a Frenchman discovered helium in the late 1800s.

6. Eclipse Glasses

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Eclipse glasses are a type of welding glasses sold for the specific reason of watching an eclipse. They use 14-shade glass, which will protect your eyes, and the frames are often much more comfortable than a welding helmet. The downside to these glasses is that there’s no use for them after the eclipse occurs, so they are somewhat wasteful, and some models can be quite costly.

Tips for Watching an Eclipse

Final Thoughts

The most important thing to remember when viewing an eclipse is that looking directly at the sun can cause permanent damage to your eyes, resulting in vision loss. If you want to use one of these methods to look directly at the sun, make sure any lenses have the proper rating for the event. If you have binoculars or a telescope, the methods presented here can provide you with a high-quality image, but the other methods are just as effective and are perfect for beginners. The pinhole projector is an especially good choice for children who might not understand how dangerous looking at the sun is.

Featured Image Credit: Buddy_Nath, Pixabay