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Make a simple pinhole projector with two pieces of white cardstock, foil, tape and a pin. It projects the Sun onto a screen so you can watch the eclipse indirectlyโlook at the projected image, never through the pinhole.
What you need
- Two pieces of white cardstock
- Aluminum foil
- Tape
- A pin, paper clip or pencil to make the hole
NASA JPL Educationโs How to Make a Pinhole Camera lists these basic materials and estimates the activity takes under 30 minutes.
How to make the two-card projector
- Cut a roughly 1- to 2-inch square or rectangular opening near the center of one cardstock piece.
- Tape aluminum foil over the opening.
- Turn the card over and carefully make one small hole in the foil with a pin, paper clip or pencil.
- Place the second white card on the ground to act as the screen. Stand with the Sun behind you and hold the foil-covered card above the screen, foil facing up. Sunlight passing through the pinhole will form an image on the lower card.
- Watch the image on the lower card. Move the cards farther apart to make the projected image larger. If possible, keep the pinhole card in sunlight and place the screen in shade for a more defined projection.
How to make a box projector
- Cut an opening in one side of a cardboard box and tape foil over it.
- Poke a small pinhole in the foil.
- Tape white paper to the inside of the opposite end of the box; it will serve as the screen.
- Cut a separate viewing opening in the box so you can see the paper without looking toward the pinhole.
- With the Sun behind you, aim the foil-covered opening toward it and look at the projected image on the internal paper.
NASA describes this box method as an indirect way to watch the eclipse: sunlight passes through the pinhole and the image appears on the paper screen.
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What you canโand cannotโlook at
Look only at the image projected onto the card or paper. Do not look at the Sun through the pinhole. NASA Science explains that an indirect method โdoes not involve looking directly at the Sun.โ NASA JPL Education likewise says, โYour pinhole camera will let you see an image of the Sun that is safe to look at.โ
For direct viewing during partial or annular phases, use a safe solar viewer that complies with ISO 12312-2. Ordinary sunglasses are not safe, regardless of how dark they are. Never look at the Sun through a camera lens, binoculars or telescope unless a special-purpose solar filter is securely mounted at the front of the instrument. Eclipse glasses and handheld viewers are not substitutes for those optical filters.
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How the projector compares with other viewing methods
| Method | What you look at | Equipment and safety condition |
|---|---|---|
| DIY pinhole projector | An image projected onto a screen | Cards or a box, foil and a small hole; never look through the hole. |
| Eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer | Directly at the Sun | Use a safe solar viewer compliant with ISO 12312-2. |
| Camera, binoculars or telescope | View through an optical instrument | Requires a special-purpose solar filter securely mounted at the front of the optics; eclipse glasses or handheld viewers do not replace it. |
Does totality change the safety rules?
Only during totality of a total solar eclipseโwhen the Moon completely covers the Sunโs bright faceโis direct viewing without eye protection safe. Use proper protection during the partial phases before and after totality. A pinhole projector remains an indirect viewing option throughout.
For the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, NASA describes a narrow totality path that includes parts of Greenland, Iceland, Russia, and Spain and Portugal; places outside that path see a partial eclipse. Local circumstances and timings vary, so check current local eclipse information before planning when and where to watch.
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