Interactive Models

Safely Observing the Sun

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Overview

In this interactive, students will explore safe methods for viewing the Sun at home or in the classroom, including using solar eclipse glasses and a pinhole projector. The interactive includes a video that explains how the projector works and how to build one.

An image illustrating that the only glasses that can be used to safely observe the Sun are eclipse glasses - credit: NASA HEAT

Materials Required

Resources Needed Per Student:

Resources Needed Per Group:

  • Computer/Tablet
  • Internet Access
  • Link to the "Safely Observing the Sun" Interactive Slide Deck - Link

Directions

Remember to never look directly at the Sun without proper safety equipment.

Use the slide deck to look at NASA images and visualizations of space weather.

  1. Open the "Safely Observing the Sun" Interactive Slide Deck. 
  2. Use the slides in edit mode in order to manipulate the slides. 
  3. Build a pinhole projector using the instruction in the slide deck. 
  4. Go outside and make a Sun observation with your pinhole projector. Document your observation in the slide deck. 

Teacher Note

Teachers who are interested in receiving the answer key, please complete the Teacher Key Request and Verification Form. We verify that requestors are teachers prior to sending access to the answer keys as we’ve had many students try to pass as teachers to gain access.

NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team logo showing the Sun with rays leaving it. It also shows planets in the path of some of the Sun's radiation.
This product is supported by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT), part of NASA's Science Activation portfolio.

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

  • PS2A: Forces and Motion
  • PS4A: Wave Properties
  • ESS1A: The Universe and its Stars
  • ESS1B: Earth and the Solar System

Crosscutting Concepts:

  • Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
  • Systems and System Models

Science and Engineering Practices:

  • Developing and Using Models
  • Students will build and use a pinhole projector to make observations of the Sun.
  1. How do you safely observe the Sun?
  • Internet Required
  • One-to-a-Group

Complementary Mini Lessons

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Interactive Files

Grade Band

  • 6-8
  • 9-12

Time

  • 50 minutes

Visualization Tool

NGSS Three Dimensional Learning

  • See drop-down menu at the bottom of the page

Related Resources

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