If a solar eclipse is happening where you live, make this simple solar eclipse viewer from household materials. You cannot look directly at the Sun because it will damage your eyes. However, you can view a solar eclipse using a homemade eclipse viewer box. You can use this viewer box to watch a partial or annular solar eclipse, or track the progress of a total solar eclipse before and after totality.

Before we begin, you may ask: what is happening during an eclipse?

As you know, the Earth is orbiting the Sun, and the Moon is orbiting the Earth. Every once and a while, the Sun, Moon, and Earth all line up and something very special happens. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. During a solar eclipse, the Moon totally or partially blocks out the Sun during the daytime.

Materials

• Cardboard box (tip: longer box = larger projected image!)
• Sheet of white printer paper
• Box cutter
• Tape
• Aluminum foil
• Scissors
• Pin

Set Up

Download my printable version of these directions to build a solar eclipse viewer box.

1. Have an adult cut a head-sized hole into the bottom of the cardboard box.
2. Use tape to attach a white sheet of paper to one side of the box.
3. In the opposite side, towards the top of the box, have an adult cut a small rectangular opening.
4. Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the rectangular opening you cut.
5. Keeping the foil completely flat, tape the foil over the rectangular opening.
6. Use the pin to make a tiny hole in the center of the aluminum foil.
7. Close the top of the box and tape it shut.

Using Your Eclipse Viewer Box

1. Stand with your back to the Sun. Never look directly at the Sun and never face the Sun while using the viewer. Do not look at the Sun through the pinhole.
2. Hold the box with the head hole facing towards the ground. The aluminum foil should face the Sun.
3. Facing the piece of paper, place the top of your head up into the head hole. Do not put your whole head all the way up into the box, as this will block the incoming light.
4. Look up at the white sheet of paper.
5. With the help of a friend, adjust your position until you see the projection of the solar eclipse on the paper.

Study Solar Eclipses with Wild Earth Lab!

You’ll find the printable directions for this activity, solar eclipse diagrams, and worksheets in my Solar Eclipse Mini Study:

Explore curriculum from Wild Earth Lab:

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love using my environmental science materials in your classroom!

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