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Astronomy Year / Week 12 / Tuesday
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Week 12 · Plan Your Own Sky Night

Tuesday

Eclipse safety
// Eclipse safety and your year of sky watching
⏱ about 15 min

Tuesday: Eclipse safety

"A solar eclipse is coming someday," Rocket says. "I will look with sunglasses!"

Raven shakes her head kindly. "What do you notice about our first rule?"

Nova glows a warning color. "Hint: the Sun is still too bright, even in an eclipse."

Solar eclipse: protect your eyes

Safety first
Never look at the Sun.
Not with sunglasses. Not with binoculars. Not with a telescope.
The Sun can hurt your eyes very fast.

Regular sunglasses are not safe, no matter how dark.

Only special eclipse glasses are safe, and a grown-up checks them.

Never use binoculars or a telescope to look at the Sun.

Not even while wearing eclipse glasses.

A safe way: the pinhole viewer

Poke a tiny hole in a card. A grown-up does the poking.

Stand with the Sun behind you.

Hold the card so sunlight passes through the hole.

Look at the small spot of light on a second card.

Never look at the Sun through the hole.

Safety first
A grown-up pokes the hole with a pin.
Keep your back to the Sun the whole time.

Lunar eclipse: look all you want

A lunar eclipse is safe to watch with just your eyes.

You are looking at the Moon, not the Sun.

Eclipse safetyTrue or false?
Dark sunglasses are safe for a solar eclipse.?
A pinhole viewer is used with the Sun behind you.?
You can look at a lunar eclipse with your eyes.?
Binoculars are safe for looking at the Sun.?
WHY THIS EXERCISESafe watching protects your eyes for a lifetime of sky watching.
SAFE OR NOT SAFE?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which is safe for a solar eclipse?
Can you look at a lunar eclipse with just your eyes?
For a grown-up
Safe solar viewers meet the international standard ISO 12312-2.
Check viewers for scratches or holes before use.
NASA posts dates and safety tips for upcoming eclipses.

Safety check

ECLIPSE SAFETY QUIZ
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Is it safe to look at the Sun with dark sunglasses?
Can you use a telescope while wearing eclipse glasses?
Where is the Sun when you use a pinhole viewer?
Who pokes the tiny hole in the card?
USE A PINHOLE VIEWER
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1First
2Next
3Then
4Last
Try it
Make a pinhole viewer with a grown-up.
Your grown-up pokes a tiny hole in one card.
Inside, practice holding one card above the other.
Use it outside only with your grown-up.
Safety first
A grown-up uses the pin.
Never look at the Sun through the hole.
Draw yourself using a pinhole viewer with the Sun behind you.

You are an eclipse safety expert! Tomorrow you start planning your own Sky Night.

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