No eclipse glasses? NASA recommends safe DIY viewing method

If you've run out of special protective glasses before the solar eclipse, don't despair – you can still safely observe the celestial event from home using a simple method recommended by NASA. This technique involves creating a pinhole projector, which allows you to view an image of the sun without looking at it directly.

The partial solar eclipse is set to begin today, with Slovenia experiencing its visibility as the sun sets. Safety is paramount during a partial eclipse, as looking directly at the sun without proper protection is never safe, even when the moon covers most of the sun's disk. Even a thin sliver of the remaining sun can be bright enough to damage the retina. Regular sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not suitable for direct solar observation, nor are homemade filters crafted from various foils or glass.

NASA recommends a simple solution: a pinhole projector. This indirect viewing method uses a box, paper, and aluminum foil to project an image of the sun onto another surface. For the most basic version, you'll need a cardboard box, a sheet of white paper, aluminum foil, tape, scissors, and something to make a small hole. Cut an opening on one side of the box and cover it with aluminum foil secured by tape. Make a tiny hole in the foil. Tape the white paper to the inside of the opposite side of the box; this will serve as the projection screen.

To use the projector, position yourself with your back to the sun. Sunlight will pass through the small hole in the foil, entering the box and creating a small image of the sun on the white paper. During the eclipse, this image will take on the shape of a solar crescent. NASA emphasizes never looking through the pinhole toward the sun. A similar effect can be achieved without a box by making a small hole in a piece of cardboard and projecting the sun's image onto another sheet of paper. Even a colander can act as a natural projector, with its small holes creating multiple tiny images of the sun on the ground, appearing as crescents during the eclipse.