NBC Chicago Chief Meteorologist Brant Miller and Telemundo Chicago Meteorologist Maricela Vasquez demonstrate how to make a simple pinhole camera from household items, ensuring a safe and engaging way to observe the solar eclipse without damaging your eyes.
If you don't have a pair of approved solar eclipse glasses by now, you may be out of luck trying to find some. But if you've got a large cardboard box and a few other supplies, you might still be able to view Monday afternoon's total solar eclipse safely.
Here's how.
Making a pinhole eclipse viewer
A pinhole eclipse viewer would project an image through a small hole in an object, onto a surface, allowing you to safely observe light, according to the Adler Planetarium. You could then project the light onto a wall, the floor or a surface on the inside of your pinhole projector.
NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Brant Miller and Telemundo Chicago Meteorologist Maricela Vazquez broke down the step-by-step process of making an eclipse viewing box on Friday night during special eclipse coverage.
Supplies
- Large cardboard box
- A piece of paper
- Tape
- Aluminum Foil
- Scissors
- Pin
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Grab a large cardboard box. While you might have heard of people using cereal boxes, you'll want something with a longer focal length, according to Miller.
- Step 2: Take a white piece of paper and tape it onto one side of the box's interior.
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- Step 3: On the opposite side of where you put the piece of paper, cut a small square from the cardboard.
- Step 4: Grab a piece of aluminum foil and tape it over the hole, making sure the hole is completely covered.
- Step 5: Using a pin, make a small hole in the center of the foil.
