Solar Eclipses

Solar Eclipses are seen when light from the sun destined to the Earth is blocked out by the moon! The diagram shows how the moon casts a shadow on the only part of the Earth during an eclipse. While one part of the world sees a total eclipse, the rest of the world will only see a partial eclipse!

A SAFE way to look at an partial eclipse:

You should NEVER look at the sun. Especially with binoculars or a telescope that aren't equipped with a special darkening filter. Instead, during an eclipse, you can make an simple device to watch the path of the moon's shadow! Here are the steps for your Eclipse Viewer:

• Materials: Black contstruction paper, white construction paper
• Punch a hole in the middle of the black costruction paper. You can do this either with a hole-punch or a thumb tack.
• Put your piece of white construction paper on the ground and hold the black paper about 12 inches above it so that you can see a single dot of sunlight on the white paper.
• As the moon moves between the sun and the Earth, a crecent shadow will cross the light on the white paper.
• Remember, do not look at the sun.. you can see the entire eclipse on the piece of paper in front of you!

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