Eclipse Watching
A family watches an eclipse (LeoPatrizi, Getty Images)
A family watches an eclipse (LeoPatrizi, Getty Images)
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Things to do on solar eclipse day!
A total solar eclipse is happening soon! Many Canadians will be treated to this once-in-a-lifetime event on Monday, April 8, 2024, Here are some things that you can do that day.
Materials:
- Eclipse glasses (optional)
- Eclipse viewer (optional)
- Eclipse observation log [PDF] or paper or a notebook for writing
- Pencil and eraser
- Drinks and snacks
What to do!
- Gather together everything you need.
- Find a good place outside where the Sun is visible.
- Put on your eclipse glasses and set up your eclipse viewer if you have one.
- Record observations of the eclipse on the Eclipse observation log [PDF] or a piece of paper.
- Share your observations with others!
For more eclipse resources, check out The Great North American Eclipse page.
Discovery
What is a solar eclipse?
During a solar eclipse, the Moon casts a shadow on the Earth. This happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. As it does so, it blocks some or all of the Sun’s rays. Scientists call the area of darkness caused by an eclipse the penumbra. The darkest part of the penumbra is a small area in the centre. This is called the umbra.
The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, is a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers and blocks the light from the Sun. The path of the penumbra will cross over Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour diagram of the positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a solar eclipse. The illustration is titled “Solar Eclipse.” It shows the Sun as a yellow circle on the left, the Earth as a blue circle on the right, and the Moon as a grey circle between the Earth and Sun. The Sun’s light is shown as a light blue cone extending from the Sun to the right towards the Earth and moon. The light blue cones of sunlight meet in between the Sun and moon, casting a circular shadow on Earth. The darkest part of the shadow is a small dot in the centre. This is the apex of the Moon’s umbra.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour diagram of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a solar eclipse. The Sun is shown as a yellow half-circle on the left. Earth is shown as a blue circle on the right. Between is a circle representing the Moon. The half of the moon facing the Sun is light gray and the half of the moon facing the Earth is black. A cone of dark gray extends from the Moon to the Earth. This represents the darkest part of the Moon's shadow on Earth. The area where this shadow is on Earth is labelled "Umbra". A larger pale gray cone extends from the Moon to the Earth. This represents the less dark part of the Moon's shadow on Earth. The oval area where this shadow appears on Earth is labelled "Penumbra".
How do pinhole viewers work?
Did you know that light always travels in a straight line? Light from the Sun travels outwards in straight lines. Some of those lines, or “rays”, of light will pass through the pinhole in your paper or foil. On the other side, the rays of light keep going until they hit the paper. The image of the Sun on the paper is upside down and backwards because the light rays cross over each other as they travel through the tiny hole.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour diagram of lines travelling from the Sun, through a pinhole and onto a piece of paper to form a crescent. In the top left corner, a small grey disk labelled “Moon,” sits in front and to the right of an orange one labelled “Sun.” A blue line extends from the top edge of the Sun and an orange one from the bottom. These stretch diagonally down to the right. They come to a point labelled “Pinhole” in the centre an orange square. On the other side of this square, the orange line emerges on top, and the blue below. They stretch apart, moving diagonally down to the right until they hit a pale grey rectangle labelled “Piece of paper.” In the centre of this is a white crescent shape. The orange line intersects with the top edge of the crescent, and the blue one with the bottom.
Eclipse Safety
Solar eclipses are pretty cool to watch, but you need to be careful. The light from the Sun is so bright that it can be dangerous to look at directly. This is true every day, not just during an eclipse! Looking directly at the Sun for even a few seconds can cause permanent damage to the retina in your eye. This part of the eye collects information about light and colour.
Here are some tips for safe solar eclipse-watching:
- Always wear approved eclipse glasses when looking at the Sun. You can check if glasses are approved/certified for solar viewing by looking for an ISO certification rating written on them.
- NEVER look at the Sun using regular sunglasses or through black garbage bags. These do not block enough of the Sun’s rays.
- Safer still is watching an eclipse using your pinhole viewer!
- If you made the basic viewer, try moving the cardboard closer to and farther away from the paper. What do you notice about the image?
- Try adding tubes together to make an even longer viewer. What do you notice about the image on the longer viewer?
- Find out when the next solar eclipse will appear near you, using a calendar such as the one at timeanddate.com.
Get Ready for a Total Solar Eclipse! (2023)
Learn about the different solar eclipses including how they happen and where they can be seen in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
Introducing the Sun (2023)
Learn the basics of the star we call the Sun in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
The Earth Moon System (2022)
This backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science has answers to some common questions about Earth’s Moon.
How to safely watch a solar eclipse (2024)
This page from the Canadian Space Agency has a video about how to safely watch a solar eclipse as well as links to other eclipse resources.
How We See (2022)
Did you know that the pupil in your eye works in a similar way to the pinhole in a pinhole viewer? Find out more about how your eye works in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
Light and Its Properties (2022)
Learn more about light and its properties in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
What’s happening?
What is a solar eclipse?
During a solar eclipse, the Moon casts a shadow on the Earth. This happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. As it does so, it blocks some or all of the Sun’s rays. Scientists call the area of darkness caused by an eclipse the penumbra. The darkest part of the penumbra is a small area in the centre. This is called the umbra.
The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, is a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers and blocks the light from the Sun. The path of the penumbra will cross over Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour diagram of the positions of the Sun, Earth and Moon during a solar eclipse. The illustration is titled “Solar Eclipse.” It shows the Sun as a yellow circle on the left, the Earth as a blue circle on the right, and the Moon as a grey circle between the Earth and Sun. The Sun’s light is shown as a light blue cone extending from the Sun to the right towards the Earth and moon. The light blue cones of sunlight meet in between the Sun and moon, casting a circular shadow on Earth. The darkest part of the shadow is a small dot in the centre. This is the apex of the Moon’s umbra.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour diagram of the Sun, Moon and Earth during a solar eclipse. The Sun is shown as a yellow half-circle on the left. Earth is shown as a blue circle on the right. Between is a circle representing the Moon. The half of the moon facing the Sun is light gray and the half of the moon facing the Earth is black. A cone of dark gray extends from the Moon to the Earth. This represents the darkest part of the Moon's shadow on Earth. The area where this shadow is on Earth is labelled "Umbra". A larger pale gray cone extends from the Moon to the Earth. This represents the less dark part of the Moon's shadow on Earth. The oval area where this shadow appears on Earth is labelled "Penumbra".
How do pinhole viewers work?
Did you know that light always travels in a straight line? Light from the Sun travels outwards in straight lines. Some of those lines, or “rays”, of light will pass through the pinhole in your paper or foil. On the other side, the rays of light keep going until they hit the paper. The image of the Sun on the paper is upside down and backwards because the light rays cross over each other as they travel through the tiny hole.
Image - Text Version
Shown is a colour diagram of lines travelling from the Sun, through a pinhole and onto a piece of paper to form a crescent. In the top left corner, a small grey disk labelled “Moon,” sits in front and to the right of an orange one labelled “Sun.” A blue line extends from the top edge of the Sun and an orange one from the bottom. These stretch diagonally down to the right. They come to a point labelled “Pinhole” in the centre an orange square. On the other side of this square, the orange line emerges on top, and the blue below. They stretch apart, moving diagonally down to the right until they hit a pale grey rectangle labelled “Piece of paper.” In the centre of this is a white crescent shape. The orange line intersects with the top edge of the crescent, and the blue one with the bottom.
Why does it matter?
Eclipse Safety
Solar eclipses are pretty cool to watch, but you need to be careful. The light from the Sun is so bright that it can be dangerous to look at directly. This is true every day, not just during an eclipse! Looking directly at the Sun for even a few seconds can cause permanent damage to the retina in your eye. This part of the eye collects information about light and colour.
Here are some tips for safe solar eclipse-watching:
- Always wear approved eclipse glasses when looking at the Sun. You can check if glasses are approved/certified for solar viewing by looking for an ISO certification rating written on them.
- NEVER look at the Sun using regular sunglasses or through black garbage bags. These do not block enough of the Sun’s rays.
- Safer still is watching an eclipse using your pinhole viewer!
Investigate further!
- If you made the basic viewer, try moving the cardboard closer to and farther away from the paper. What do you notice about the image?
- Try adding tubes together to make an even longer viewer. What do you notice about the image on the longer viewer?
- Find out when the next solar eclipse will appear near you, using a calendar such as the one at timeanddate.com.
Learn More
Get Ready for a Total Solar Eclipse! (2023)
Learn about the different solar eclipses including how they happen and where they can be seen in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
Introducing the Sun (2023)
Learn the basics of the star we call the Sun in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
The Earth Moon System (2022)
This backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science has answers to some common questions about Earth’s Moon.
How to safely watch a solar eclipse (2024)
This page from the Canadian Space Agency has a video about how to safely watch a solar eclipse as well as links to other eclipse resources.
How We See (2022)
Did you know that the pupil in your eye works in a similar way to the pinhole in a pinhole viewer? Find out more about how your eye works in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.
Light and Its Properties (2022)
Learn more about light and its properties in this backgrounder by Let’s Talk Science.