Other ways to watch the eclipse

[Village Idiot]

Factory Chef was nice enough to get several people, including us, some eclipse glasses. Then he had to send out this email:

Amazon sent me an email saying they can't get a confirmation that the solar glasses I bought are safe to use. So please throw them away. I have used mine but to be on the safe side Do not use. Email me back and let me know how many pairs I gave you. Bob

Well, we're not taking that risk no matter how small, so the glasses are gone. But, being an optimist, there will be other ways to enjoy the eclipse without seeing it. How dark it gets, temperature changes, animal (especially bird behavior), etc. Last night my folks forwarded the following email from a friend of theirs:

Tree cover may seem to block views of the sun, but look more carefully at
shadows cast be trees on sidewalks, trails roads, the sides of houses, etc.
Children in particular may not know that much shadowing from a dense canopy
is not blurry images of trees, branches and leaves. Look at all those circular
or elliptical patches of sunlight--the 'dappling'. These round or elliptical
patches of light are all images of the sun. the PINHOLE CAMERA effect causes
when narrow beams of light manage to get through the canopy. People only
seem to become aware of that our woods are million-pinhole 'cameras' lacking
just film during an eclipse.

Some googling reveals pictures of leaf shadows during a partial eclipse. Pretty cool.

[Chesapeake]

I wouldn't worry about it. I hear blindness isn't nearly as bad as a lot of people think.

[drlj]

Make an eclipse box to go over your head. It works like a pin hole camera. It sounds and looks silly but it works.

[chicagobob]

Would a welder's helmet do the trick?

[Deleted]

There's always watching it on T.V. Since we're a good way from the path of totality, it's the only way we'll see it. 

[Doug]

I figured I'd wait till it came on the Soundhole. That's where I get all my news. 

[Marty]

[Village Idiot]

In the 70s we used a shoebox. Poke a small hole in one of the long ends, shine the sun through it and watch the shadow of the eclipse on the other end of the box.

Or put the box on your head and look through the hole. I can't remember which.

[drlj]

Tomorrow, when the eclipse starts, zombies will be out in full force. Protect your brains if you have them! I would not go out without a helmet.

[drlj]

Aug 20, 2017 13:32:25 GMT -5 chicagobob said:

Would a welder's helmet do the trick?

It has to be #14 glass or higher.