SafeEclipseObservingProf.PatriciaReiff,RiceUniversity

Some ofmy favorite safeways to observe the Eclipse (or the sun, any time). These aregenerallylistedinorderofexpense,cheapestfirst.1.SafelyFirst!For important safety information, please check the NASAEclipsesite:https://eclipse2017.nasa.govHere is the link to the safety flyer (please print out anddistribute):https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Safety_508.pdf2.Pinholeprojection.A.Getacardboardbox.Punchaholeintooneoftheends(Iuseoneofthesmallerendstomakealongerpathsoabiggerimage).Sincethecardboardmayhaveraggededgesfromthepunched hole, I generally just make the cardboard holelarger and then cover it upwith apieceof thickpaper andpunchasmallerholeinit.Putasheetofwhitepaperintotheoppositeend.Youmayneedtotiltthebox,proppingitup,toseetheimage.B.Forabrighterimage,ifyoujustmakethepinholelarger,itwill get fuzzy. Instead,make a largerholebutuse apair ofinexpensive reading glasses to focus the image inside thebox.Theimagestillwon’tbeverylarge,butitwillbebrighterandinbetterfocus.Youmayneedtoadjusttheplacementofthe box (the best strength of the reader depends on thelengthofthebox:2or2.5magnificationworkswellwitha14-16inchbox).C.Thisshowstheimageinsidethebox.D.MyfavoritewaytodoapinholeistotakeapieceofSTIFFcardboard and punch holes in it, describing the date andlocation.ThentakeaphotoofitsSHADOW.Eachholemakesacrescenteclipse!Get it ready thenightbefore (a funkid’sactivity),andthenphotographjustaftertotality.

3.EclipseGlasses:A.Eclipseglassesareasafeandinexpensivewaytoobservethe eclipse. Be sure you get them from a reputable source,that have the “CE” or “ISO” certificationmarked on them. Ilike the ones from Rainbow Symphony since they give apleasing orange colored sun. You can use them to observesunspotsatanytime!Protectthemfromscratchesorholes.B. Although eclipse glasses are easy and fun, they do notmagnifythesun.Youcantell theprogressionof theeclipse,butyougenerallywon’tbeable toseeanysunspots,unlesstheyareextralarge.4.SolarFiltersA.Forme, themostcomfortableandnaturalviewofa totaleclipse(solarorlunar)isfromapairofbinocularsmountedonatripod.Youcanusetheshadowofthebinocularstodoarough alignment (minimizing the size of the shadow), thenlookthroughtheFILTEREDbinocularstofindthesun.Zoomouttofindthesun,thenzoomintogetabetterview.Haveastepstoolonhandsochildrencantakeapeektoo.Byputtingonthetripod,severalpeoplecansharetheviewwithouteachhavingto“find”thesun(noteasyusingfilteredbinoculars!).Iprefera10-22zoom,50mmdiameterbinoculars…goodqualitybutnottooexpensive.(Youcangetcheaponesfor$30butIpreferthegoodonesfor$150).SolarND(neutraldensity)filtersarealsoavailableforlargertelescopes.AlwaysputthefilterontheOBJECTIVEendofthetelescope,neverontheeyepiece.B. There are two critical pieces of equipment: The solarfilters ($20each) that cap thebinoculars (I like theonesatRainbowSymphonysoIcanslipthemonandoffeasily)https://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/collections/solar-filtersMeasure the OUTSIDE diameter of your binoculars,telescope,videocamera,orcameralens,andgetthenextLARGERsize.Theyprovidefoamtapeforasnugfit…youdon’twantthemtofalloff,butyoudowantthemtocomeoffeasilywhentotalityhits!The second critical item is the “Binocular tripod adapter” - purchase from a photo ortelescope store or from Amazon. Prices range from $9 to $28. One end screws into themountingholeonthehingeofyourbinoculars(whichmightbecoveredbyacap).Mounttheflatendontoyourphotographictripod.Thisgivesyoufullcontrolofthedirectionthatthebinocularsarepointing.Thisisreallygoodforobservingthesun(orotherastronomicalobjects-youonlyneedthesolarfiltersforobservingthesun).However,iftheSunisveryhighinthesky,itbecomesawkwardtolookthroughbinocularsonatripod-seebinocularprojectionbelow.

C.Finding thesun in filteredbinoculars isharder thanyoumight think - the only thing you can see is the sun! Don’t“sneakapeek”-itcankillyourvision!TofindtheMOONinthe sky, or a bird in a tree,with binoculars, first look at itdirectly with your eyes straight ahead (moving your headtill you are facing it squarely). THEN put the binoculars(zoomedOUTforminimummagnification)uptoyourfaceandtheobjectshouldbein(ornear) the fieldofview.Thenzoom in.Theprocedure to find theSUN is similarBUTyouhave todo itwithyourEYESCLOSED.Closeyoureyesandmoveyourheadarounduntilyoufeelthesun’sheatonyourfaceandyouthinkyouarefacingstraightatit.Thenbringup theFILTEREDbinoculars (zoomedOUT)andopenyoureyes.Again it shouldbe inornearyourfieldofview.D.Ifyoucan’tfindthesun,oftenafriendcanseetheshadowofthebinocularsonyourfaceandtellyoutotipback,orleft,orwhatever.HereIamlookingattheSunnearlocalnooninMay,neartheelevationoftheeclipseinJanuary.Igotagoodview but it is really tough on your neck to hold it for verylong.5.BinocularprojectionA.Whenthesunishighinthesky,themostcomfortableviewis using a pair of binoculars to project an image. Put thebinoculars on a photographic tripod, using a “binoculartripod adapter” - see 4B above. Cover one lens of thebinocular with its cap or with a solar filter but leave theother lens uncovered. NEVER LOOK AT THE SUNTHROUGH BINOCULARS WITHOUT THE SOLAR FILTER ON! NEVER LEAVE THISSETUPUNATTENDED-SOMEONEMIGHTTRYTOLOOKTHROUGHTHEBINOCULARS!IputthetripodonitsLOWEST(shortest)settingtomakeithardforsomeonetotrytolookthroughthebinoculars-thatalsomakestheimagethebrightest.Adjustthetipandrotationofthetripodheadtomaketheshadowofthebinocularsthesmallestpossible…thenitwillbelookingexactlyatthesun.Ideally,adjustthelookdirectionslightlytoprojecttheimageintoashadowedarea,ifoneishandy(seephoto).Putapieceofheavywhitecardboardtoprojecttheimageonto,ortapeawhitepieceofpaperontosomethingheavy.Tipthepapersoitisperpendiculartothelineofsight,sothatthesun’simageisacircle,notanoval.Usethe zoom and focus adjustments on the binoculars to make the best view. For a largediameterbinoculars,youcangetanimage3inchesacrossormore.B.Ifyoudon’thaveashadedareanearby,youcanmakeyourown shade. Here are some smaller binoculars on a smalltripod.Againuse theshadowof thebinocs toalign.See theimage of the Sun on the paper near the shadow of thebinoculars.

C.Wrapadarksheetortowelaroundthebinoculars,keepingonly theuncoveredaperture in the sunlight.The towelwillmakeashadowthatyoucankeeptheimagein.Astheearthrotates,youwillneedtoadjustthepointingofthebinocularstokeeptheimageintheshadow.6.SunspottersA.Thesafestwaytogetabig imageof thesun is throughacommercial“Sunspotter®”devicefromScienceFirst.It’snotcheap(around$400),butit iswelldesignedandcanbeuseto sketch sunspots at any time(http://shop.sciencefirst.com/starlab/models/5818-sunspotter.html). To align, first move the device around(sliding the triangular assembly up and down and rotatingthewholethingsothattheshadowofthepeg-abovethe“p”in “Sunspotter” - is minimized.) Then a white dot shouldappear near the white circle (lower right). If the device isaligned, putting thewhitedot into thewhite circle should give youa solar imageon thewhitepaper.Mine is a littleoffbut it is closeenough to find the sun.Youcanadjust thefocusifnecessarybutmineisusuallyjustfine.B. The Sunspotter evenworkswith the sun nearly directlyoverhead.Anotheradvantageofusingasunspotter is thatayoung person or student can be in charge of keeping italigned…thereisnowaytolookatthesundirectlythroughit.7.H-alphaTelescopeThe most expensive way to observe the sun is through aHydrogenAlpha telescope. Insteadof filteringout all of thedifferent wavelengths of light equally, it selectively admitsonlytheredlight(656nm)whichisemittedbyaHydrogenatomnearthevisiblesurfaceofthesun.YoucanobservetheSun’s prominences, convection cells, and plages any time -notjustduringaneclipse.Byslightlyadjustingthewavelength,youcanadjusttheheightofthe features that are best seen. Less expensive models use photographic tripods. Moreexpensivemodelshavemotorsfortrackingthesunacrossthesky.Iowna40mmCoronadoandIfinditcanbetrickytokeepthesuninthefieldofviewwithoutthetrackingmotor.Note: All imagestakenbyPatriciaReiff(reiff@rice.edu).Permissionisgrantedtoprintoutanddistributethisfornon-commercialeducationaluse.Disclaimer:Ihavenocommercialinterestinanyoftheseproducts(Ihavepurchased theseproductspersonallyandamahappycustomer);however Ido sell eclipseglasses throughmycompany’sonlinestorehttp://spaceupdate.com/store/equipment.html