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HOW CAN WE WATCH SOLAR ECLIPSE SAFELY?
Solar eclipses are beautiful to watch used to project the image of the Sun on
but one must take some precautions while watching them. We should not look at the Sun directly with our naked eyes. It is true, that intensity of sunlight drops at the time of eclipse but it still remains strong enough to damage our eyes. It is therefore advisable to avoid looking at the Sun directly, except dur- ing totality, when the Sun is completely obscured.
There are some safety measures to follow for observing the solar eclipse safely. The simplest way to observe the solar eclipse is by Projection Method. A small mirror pasted on a ball can be
the wall. The size and sharpness of the image formed on the wall depends upon the distance between the wall and the mirror. The distance between the two can vary from 20 to 30m. Another easy method to observe the solar eclipse is through the Pinhole camera. You can make a pin-hole camera of your own by using a cardboard box of size 20 X 20 cm and about 1 m long. Close one end of the box with a thick paper and then make
a hole of about 1 mm at the centre of it. On the opposite side of the box paste a butter paper to see the image of the Sun. Point the side of the box with the hole
towards the Sun. A clear image of the Sun will be seen on the butter paper. You can also observe the Sun directly if you have certified solar filters. The filters are especially designed to protect your eyes from harmful radiations of the Sun. If you have a telescope, the projection of the Sun can also be done using it. The viewing of the Sun with the telescope is always dangerous as it may burn your retina and make you blind. Therefore, telescope can be used only when the aperture of the telescope is covered by solar filter. The use of X-ray films and normal sunglasses are not at all advisa- ble to observe the solar eclipse.
Ball Mirror Pinhole Camera Solar Viewer
Projection through telescope Telescope with Solar Filter
June 2020
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