If you can’t get certified eclipse glasses in time, you can still watch the eclipse safely using simple household items. Do not look directly at the Sun without proper solar filters—regular sunglasses and dark goggles do not provide adequate protection and can cause serious eye damage. Phone cameras and sensors can also be harmed if pointed at the Sun without a solar filter, so avoid filming the Sun directly unless you have the correct equipment.
Key safety points
– Never look straight at the Sun without specialist solar viewing glasses or an approved solar filter.
– Don’t substitute sunglasses or untested lenses. They usually don’t block enough harmful light.
– Don’t point an unfiltered camera or smartphone at the Sun; digital sensors can be damaged and the image will not be safe to view.
– When the eclipse is low in the sky, try to find a clear, elevated spot with an unobstructed western horizon.
Three safe viewing methods
1) Pinhole projector (card, paper, pen)
– Use a piece of stiff card or cardboard and push a small round hole through the centre with the tip of a ballpoint pen or a needle.
– Stand with your back toward the Sun. Hold the card between the Sun and a plain white piece of paper or card that will act as a screen.
– Line the card and the screen up so sunlight passes through the pinhole and forms a small image of the Sun on the paper. The more you move the screen or card, the clearer the projection can become.
– The projected image shows the Sun’s shape safely — you can watch the eclipse progress without looking at the Sun itself.
2) Colander or sieve (kitchen method)
– A metal colander or kitchen sieve works like multiple pinholes at once. Hold the colander so sunlight passes through its holes onto a flat white surface (paper, pavement, a sheet).
– Always face away from the Sun while aligning the colander and the screen. Do not look through the colander toward the Sun.
– Each hole projects a small image of the Sun; during a partial eclipse those projections will appear as many tiny crescents or partially eclipsed disks. This produces a striking “kaleidoscope” effect and lets many people view the eclipse at once.
3) Box-style pinhole viewer (cereal box, foil, paper)
– An empty cereal or similar cardboard box makes a simple, clearer viewer because it blocks stray light.
– Cut a square viewing hole in one end of the box for your eye. On the opposite end or the top, cut a matching square and cover it with aluminium foil. Poke a very small hole in the centre of the foil with a pin—this is your pinhole.
– Place a clean white sheet of paper inside the box on the bottom opposite the foil; this will be the screen where the Sun’s image appears.
– Stand with your back to the Sun, look through the viewing hole with one eye, and point the foil/pinhole toward the Sun. You should see a clear projected image of the Sun on the paper inside the box. Adjust alignment until the image appears.
Why these methods work
– All three techniques use indirect viewing: they project the Sun’s image onto a surface so you never look straight at the Sun. They are simple, low-cost, and effective for partial eclipses.
About photographing the eclipse
– NASA and other space agencies advise that to photograph the Sun during an eclipse you must use a proper solar filter on the camera lens. Using a phone or camera without a suitable solar filter risks damaging the sensor and will not make viewing safe.
– Avoid lens attachments or magnifiers on phones when pointing at the Sun.
Final tips
– If you can obtain certified solar viewers in time, those remain the safest way to look directly at the Sun when appropriate. If not, use one of the projection methods above.
– Choose a location with a clear view of the western horizon for evening eclipses and give yourself time to set up. Above all, protect your eyes: do not look directly at the Sun.
