Solar eclipse 2017: Make your own 'pinhole projector'

Materials needed:

Cereal box
Scotch tape
Aluminum foil
Scissors
Thumbtack (or earring)
White strip of paper (optional)

1. At the top of the cereal box, cut the inner flaps first and the the top flaps, about 2 inches from the outside is enough.
2. One of these openings will be left opened at the end.
3. Tape the top of the cereal box.
4. Cut a 6-7 inch square from the aluminum foil.
5. Cover one of the box's side opening with the piece of aluminum foil and tape it to the cereal box.
6. Using the small thumbtack (or earring) open a small hole in the center of the aluminum foil.

Recommendations: In some cases, especially if you are doing with kids, you might want to reinforce the “blocked hole” (the one with aluminum foil) with stronger tape. Some types of aluminum foils might easily rupture.

Some people might place a strip of white paper taped on the bottom inside of the box. This way the eclipse could be projector and viewed better in some cases. This is optional. If done, should be the first step of the project.

You are all ready for the eclipse. You can test this by putting your back to a lamp or flashlight and looking through the opening. You will see how the light coming though the small pinhole will project at the end of the box. When the eclipse is occurring, you will see how the circle becomes crescent.

Cox Media Group