On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will cross the United States in a path from northwest to southeast. Weather permitting, the entire rest of the U.S., as well as all of North America, will see a partial solar eclipse. The following contains information regarding inexpensive activities that can be done to enhance public enjoyment of the partial and/or total solar eclipse. These notes are meant to accompany the file Inexpensive_eclipse_activities.pdf and are listed by slide number to match the slides in the PDF. If this information is distributed to others, kindly do not alter or remove any image credits or links contained within. Thank you! Slide 1: No notes. Slide 2: One of the first resources that you will run out of for your eclipse activities will likely be safe methods for viewing the partial phases of the eclipse. Have several spare pairs on hand, and have helpers walk around amongst your audience to let them borrow your glasses so they can see the partial phases of the eclipse safely. Do not purchase solar viewing glasses from anyone but a reputable dealer. Solar viewing glasses must be CE and ISO certified to be safe to use. If the solar glasses vendor does not list these certifications, ask the vendor for a listing of the certifications they conform to. Two examples of certification (this is not an exhaustive list of vendors and is only provided for informational purposes): http://www.eclipseglasses.com/pages/safety https://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/pages/faq You can also purchase #14 welder’s glass pieces from a welding supply store and pass those pieces from person to person. ONLY purchase #14 welder’s glass. Do not assume that an arc welder’s glass is safe to use, as that glass typically transmits too much light to safely view the Sun. If you do not know the shade number of the welder’s glass or if the shade number is not marked on the glass, DO NOT USE IT TO VIEW THE SUN. Slide 3: Photograph the Sun using eclipse shades and your phone camera. To make these images, the photographer placed the safe solar viewing film over the camera lens of an iPhone 6 and then pointed the camera at the Sun, keeping the film in place at all times. It is also recommended to securely tape the film to the camera body prior to pointing the camera at the Sun so that at no time does the Sun ever shine on the unprotected camera lens. If you do an activity like this, be careful not to look at
the Sun with unprotected eyes. Make sure the solar viewing glasses are CE and ISO certified to be safe to use. If you do not see a mention of these certifications on a particular vendor’s website or advertisement materials, ask the vendor for them. Note that these pictures were taken on a partly cloudy day. Where the clouds were lit by the Sun, they can be seen in the images, especially in the lower right image. Slide 4: Investigate spectra from various types of lights, such as incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, mercury street lamps, sodium street lamps, LEDs, and more by using diffraction grating film. Diffraction grating film produces a spectrum just as a triangular glass prism does. In the image above, the photographer placed a 1”x1” square of diffraction grating film over the camera lens of an iPhone 6 and pointed an LED flashlight at the diffraction grating, slightly off to one side; the flashlight can be seen to the right of the image. Dimmer spectra from fluorescent bulbs near the ceiling can be seen near the top of the image. Never look at the Sun directly through diffraction grating film. This is not a safe solar viewing method. Do not point a camera lens directly at the Sun if the lens is uncovered or covered only by diffraction grating film. An example of a roll of diffraction grating film: https://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/products/diffraction-‐grating-‐ rolls?variant=7152557377. The link above is provided for informational purposes only and does not necessarily imply endorsement of this product. This is not an exhaustive list of vendors that sell this product. Information about and an image of the solar spectrum: http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0600.html http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0588.html https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/deepimpact/science/spectroscopy.cfm Slide 5: Diffraction grating film was also used to take the image on this slide. The fluorescent light is on the top of the image, partly covered by a yellow stage lighting plastic filter sheet. Note the spectrum of the fluorescent light below (the slightly curved strips). The diffraction grating shows the specific wavelengths of light that make up the spectrum of this particular fluorescent bulb. Note that the purple wavelengths of light from the bulb are not able to pass through the filter; this blocking of light by the filter can be seen in an absence of the purple wavelength in the spectrum below.
In the image above, the photographer placed a 1”x1” square of diffraction grating film over the camera lens of an iPhone 6. Slide 6: Diffraction grating film was also used to take the image on this slide, with an addition. The fluorescent light is on the top of the image, and a small piece of green stage lighting filter was placed over the diffraction grating material that the photographer was holding. Note the spectrum of the fluorescent light below (the slightly curved strips). The diffraction grating split the fluorescent light into its component wavelengths, and the green filter material only allowed the blue and green wavelengths to pass through, blocking the rest. The diffraction grating shows the specific wavelengths of light that make up the spectrum of this particular fluorescent bulb, and the green filter material blocked several of the wavelengths that were noted in the prior image (red, orange, yellow, etc). In the image above, the photographer placed a 1”x1” square of diffraction grating film over the camera lens of an iPhone 6, along with a 1”x1” square of a specific green stage lighting plastic. Example of green stage lighting plastic: Roscolux #90 (Dark Yellow Green) http://www.rosco.com/filters/roscolux.cfm?sortOrder=no#colors The stage lighting material is generally available in 20” x 24” sheets or 25’ rolls. Each person will usually only need a 1” x 1” square. The link above is provided for informational purposes only and does not necessarily imply endorsement of this product or endorsement by this vendor. This is not an exhaustive list of vendors that sell this product. Slide 7: Diffraction grating film was also used to take the image on this slide, with an addition. The fluorescent light is off the top of the image, and a small piece of red stage lighting filter was placed over the diffraction grating material that the photographer was holding. Note the spectrum of the fluorescent light below (the slightly curved strips). The diffraction grating split the fluorescent light into its component wavelengths, and the red filter material only allowed the red and yellow wavelengths to pass through, blocking the rest. The diffraction grating shows the specific wavelengths of light that make up the spectrum of this particular fluorescent bulb, and the red filter material blocked several of the wavelengths that were noted in the first image (green, blue, violet, etc).
In the image above, the photographer placed a 1”x1” square of diffraction grating film over the camera lens of an iPhone 6, along with a 1”x1” square of a specific red stage lighting plastic. Example of red stage lighting plastic: Roscolux #27 (Medium Red) http://www.rosco.com/filters/roscolux.cfm?sortOrder=no#colors The stage lighting material is generally available in 20” x 24” sheets or 25’ rolls. Each person will usually only need a 1” x 1” square. The link above is provided for informational purposes only and does not necessarily imply endorsement of this product or endorsement by this vendor. This is not an exhaustive list of vendors that sell this product. Slide 8: Make a sundial and watch the passage of time before and after the eclipse. The viewer’s latitude will necessitate proper calculation of the various hour angles for the sundial. The sundials can be made out of many different types of materials. In the example image above, the sundial is made of a paper plate, the shadow caster (called the “gnomon” – pronounced NO-‐mun) is made of a small dowel rod, and the rod is attached to the paper plate using clay. An example of a sundial hour angle calculator: http://www.anycalculator.com/horizontalsundial.htm The link above is provided for informational purposes only and does not necessarily imply endorsement of this product or endorsement by this developer. This is not an exhaustive list of developers who have created a product like this. Sundial explanations: http://www-‐spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sundial.htm Slide 9: Make sidewalk chalk shadows (“shadow sundials”) to chart the passage of time. You’ll need two colors of sidewalk chalk. Have an audience member stand on a sidewalk and strike a pose. Draw around that person’s shadow with the sidewalk chalk, but especially draw around the person’s feet. Write the time next to the shadow drawing. An hour or two later, the same person should stand on the same feet locations and strike the same pose. Draw around the new shadow with a different color of sidewalk chalk. Write the new time next to this shadow. Observe the shadows. Is one longer? Shorter?
Here is a version of this activity that is useful for a classroom setting: http://www.nsta.org/publications/press/extras/files/nexttime/ChangingShadows. pdf. Slide 10: Record the air temperature before and after the eclipse. Keep a journal noting changes in local animal behavior, before, during, and after the eclipse, especially birds and insects. Journal article: http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1676/0043-‐ 5643%282000%29112%5B0431%3ABBDATS%5D2.0.CO%3B2 NASA article: http://science.nasa.gov/science-‐news/science-‐at-‐ nasa/2001/ast19jun_1/ Slide 11: A pinhole projector can be made simply with two index cards or two paper plates. Poke a hole straight through one card or plate using a sharp pin (be careful!). With the Sun behind you, point the hole toward the Sun or another source of light. Project an image of the Sun or light onto the other plate. Pull the two plates apart until you see an image of the Sun or light. Note that the image will be TINY. The farther you pull the plates apart, the larger the image will be, but it will be dimmer. Yes, even the holes in a butter cracker can serve as pinholes for your projector. A pasta strainer also makes a wonderful set of holes to project many images of the partial eclipse phases. Do not look through the pinholes at the Sun, however! For detailed pinhole projector explanations: http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how-‐to-‐view-‐eclipse. This page also gives detailed explanations of how to project an image of the Sun using binoculars. The advantage of projection is that many people can gather around the projected image at the same time, and with one snap, capture the moment using a camera and share it instantly. If you do solar projection, it is imperative that safety procedures are followed at all times. No one should look through binoculars or a telescope that is used for solar projection. Instant – and potentially permanent -‐ eye damage will occur. The other advantage to solar projection is that many people at once can see the image of the partial phases, shortening the time between people or groups, rather than individuals looking through a telescope one at a time. Note that a telescope does not make seeing a partial solar eclipse better. It only makes the view bigger, so seeing an eclipse through a properly filtered telescope is
not necessarily a vital experience overall. No extra detail will be seen in the telescope, so for this reason, solar projection is an excellent viewing method to consider for the eclipse experience. Slide 12: This is another example of a pinhole projector. Image is available here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_eclipse_in_Turkey_March_2006.jpg Slide 13: The tiny spaces in between leaves of trees make wonderful natural pinholes. Don’t forget to look down for these shadows! This image is available through Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mostoles._Eclipse_total_de_sol._2005-‐10-‐ 04._Sombras_2.JPG Slide 14: Box pinhole projectors also provide a safe way to view the partial phases of the eclipse, as long as the pinhole does not project onto the viewer’s eye. Information is available here: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/how-‐ to-‐watch-‐a-‐partial-‐solar-‐eclipse-‐safely/ Inclusion of this link does not necessarily imply endorsement of or by this vendor. Slide 15: Before the eclipse begins: project images of the Sun and sketch sunspots, if you happen to see any. We are headed toward solar minimum in 2019-‐2020, so it is not uncommon for there to be few – if any – sunspots visible before and after solar minimum. For an explanation of solar activity, including sunspots: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/solarcycle-‐primer.html The Sunspot Cycle: http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SunspotCycle.shtml Slide 16: Shadow bands form just before totality when a tiny sliver of the Sun’s light passes through the Earth’s atmosphere; the ripples are caused when this sliver passes through the winds traveling through different layers in the Earth’s
atmosphere. Shadow band ripples form in a similar manner as sunlight shining through to the bottom of a pool; the light and dark ripples can be seen on the pool floor as the light moves through water moving in various directions in the pool. To try to spot these shadow bands, place a large white sheet on the ground and point a video camera at the sheet. Let it run starting a few minutes before totality; do not turn it off until after totality, mainly so you do not have to fumble with it during totality – you don’t want to miss it! The bands may be visible for just a second or two. To see the bands, you may need to do some special post-‐processing of the video. A video professional may be able to help you with this process. This video is available here: http://www.strickling.net/shadowbands.htm Another video is available on YouTube showing shadow bands projected onto high thin clouds just before totality: https://youtu.be/DLhD81ZeSkE. Please note and follow any copyright or video licensing instructions contained on this page. Slide 17: The object in this image is called an “orrery” (OR-‐er-‐ree). It shows a scale model of the Sun, several planets in our Solar System, and a few of their moons. Usually, the planet models can spin around the Sun model (and in some cases, a hand crank is used). Orreries like this are commonplace these days, usually made of plastic. The problem with orreries, though, is that while they may be able to show the relative sizes of the planets (though not necessarily the Sun), showing the distances between objects at that same scale is impossible. If the Earth was shrunk to the size of a ball or inflated balloon that is 8 inches across, the Moon at this same scale would be about 3 inches across, or ¼ the Earth’s diameter. A fun scale model activity that gets many people involved is to blow up a balloon to about 8 inches across and distribute balloons to audience members. First, have each person blow up her/his balloon to the size that s/he thinks is at the same scale as the Earth balloon. After comparisons are done and the right size is shown, have each person walk their balloon away from the Earth balloon at the right distance using this scale. The correct answer would be that for an 8 inch wide Earth, a 3 inch wide Moon would be about 240 inches (20 feet) from the Earth balloon. You can make a “Human Orrery,” as well. You’ll need a large gymnasium space or an outdoor location, plus a few other easily obtained materials: http://kepler.nasa.gov/education/activities/humanorrery/
Slide 18: How do eclipses occur? Eclipses happen when the Moon, Earth, and Sun are lined up just right. The Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5 degrees with respect to the plane of the Solar System (called the “ecliptic”). In other words, think of the Solar System as a flat sheet of paper with the Sun as a ball in the middle of the paper (half of the ball above the paper and half below it with the paper bisecting the Sun into two pieces). The planets orbit along the sheet of paper, for the most part. Some are slightly tilted a bit with respect to the paper/ecliptic, but they are fairly close to it. The Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5 degrees with respect to the ecliptic. While this doesn’t seem like much of a tilt, it does mean that when the Moon is in the same part of the sky as the Sun, in a phase called “New Moon,” the Moon almost always misses the Sun, usually passing a bit above or a bit below the Sun. Sometimes, the Moon’s orbit passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, causing some part of the Earth to experience a partial or total solar eclipse. On a related note, the Moon’s orbit usually misses the shadow cast by the Earth when it is on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun, passing a little above or below it. We see this phase of the Moon as “Full Moon.” However, when the Moon’s orbit lines up just right, it passes through the Earth’s shadow, and we see this phenomenon as a partial or total lunar eclipse. When there is a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse will happen either a couple weeks prior to the solar eclipse or a couple weeks after it. For example, there is a partial lunar eclipse on August 7, 2017, followed by a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. An activity to do to demonstrate these phenomena is a Moon Phases demonstration using a polystyrene ball and a bright light in a dark room: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/education/moonphases-‐20100913.html Slide 19: Ultraviolet light-‐sensitive beads are a great way to learn about a type of light that our eyes cannot see. These beads react to UV light and produce different colors. Many experiments can be done using these beads. They could include, but are not limited to: • Test sunscreen types – smear a thin layer of sunscreen on a thin piece of plastic wrap and put the bead underneath the plastic/sunscreen combo. Does the sunscreen stop the UV light? Try doing this with old sunscreen vs new sunscreen. • Test windows in buildings, homes, and cars for their UV light-‐blocking ability. • Test lip balm for UV light-‐blocking ability • Come up with your own experiments!
An example of the UV detection beads: http://www.teachersource.com/product/ultraviolet-‐detecting-‐beads/light-‐color The link above is provided for informational purposes only and does not necessarily imply endorsement of this product or endorsement by this vendor. This is not an exhaustive list of vendors that sell products like this. Slide 20: Tonic water makes a wonderful ultraviolet light detector. The ultraviolet light from the Sun shines on the tonic water, and the quinine in the tonic water absorbs the UV light. The atoms of quinine that are excited by the UV light (which our eyes cannot see) then emit blue light (that our eyes CAN see). Check throughout the eclipse to see if the amount of “glow” from the UV light changes at all. Take periodic pictures throughout the partial phases of the eclipse to record your experiment. Slide 21: Normally, images of the scale of the Sun and Earth are able to show size scale but not distance scale. The distances between the Sun and planets are too vast to show on the same scale as the sizes. You can make a scale model of the Sun and Earth that shows size and distance – but beware, you’ll probably need to go outside to do this correctly and have enough space. If the Sun is a ball 8 inches in diameter, the Earth is the size of a peppercorn that is 26 paces/steps away from the Sun. To make an entire Solar System model out to Pluto at this same scale, you will need about 1,000 yards of distance. That’s over ½ mile! To measure across the diameter of the Sun would take 109 Earths. Try to do this with an 8” ball and 109 peppercorns (you might need more than 109 peppercorns to get 109 of them that are the right size – and the same size. It’s tough!) Solar System scale model: “The Earth as a Peppercorn”: http://www.noao.edu/education/peppercorn/pcmain.html The Moon is about ¼ the diameter of the Earth, so at this scale, the Moon would be a little tiny ball ¼ the diameter of the peppercorn. Can you make a ball this size? Give it a try. Someone might also (rightly!) ask why the Moon can cover the Sun as seen from Earth if the Moon is so much smaller than the Sun. The Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon, but the Sun is about 400 times farther away from the Earth than the Sun is. That’s how!
“How the Moon can cover the Sun” demo: http://lawrencehallofscience.org/static/diy_sun_science/downloads/diy_ss_bigsun _smallmoon.pdf Another Solar System scale model is the “Toilet Paper Solar System,” where each square of toilet paper represents either one million miles or ten million miles (the larger scale is better for smaller spaces, such as in a classroom): http://www.astrosociety.org/edu/family/materials/toiletpaper.pdf Slide 22: Photograph the surrounding landscape several times before the eclipse to show how dark it actually gets. Why? The human eye can adjust to light levels, making the surrounding landscape seem lighter than it really is. This image was taken on board the Stella Solaris cruise ship in the Black Sea just before the August 11, 1999 solar eclipse. Also, if at all possible, try to do this sort of photography with actual film in a film camera. Modern cameras use computer chips to gather light, and many of those chips allow in a bit of infrared light, too, making images seem even brighter than they normally are. You want to show how dark it is, not how light it is. Camera film is not as efficient as these computer chips, so you will be able to notice the darkness even better than if you took the picture using a more recently produced camera. Slide 23: This image was taken a few minutes later during the August 11, 1999 eclipse, also aboard the Stella Solaris. Slide 24: This picture was taken just before totality on August 11, 1999. See how dark it is! But it did not look quite this dark to the human eye because the photographer’s eyes had time to slowly adjust over the course of close to 90 minutes. The darkness before totality was only apparent when the film was developed. Also note how the cruise ships that were so close to each other in the first picture have drifted away from each other by the time of the final picture. This was due to the fact that the cruise ship captain had turned off the ship’s engines and the ship was drifting freely with the sea currents. Slide 25: Unless you know what you are doing, consider not even trying to photograph the eclipse yourself. Pay someone to take pictures of totality for you, or
purchase pictures after the eclipse is over. Why? First time eclipse photographers may be so overwhelmed by the eclipse that they might fumble with their cameras, forget to take the lens cap off the camera, or do other things other than look at the eclipse. Before they know it, the eclipse is over. Pay someone who knows what they are doing to take official photos, just like they do on cruise ships. This picture was taken on board the Stella Solaris cruise ship during the August 11, 1999 total solar eclipse in the Black Sea. This is a scan of a print image. If you are determined to take pictures of the eclipse yourself, several weeks or months ahead of time, carefully research correct procedures from accomplished eclipse photographers. Practice several times prior to eclipse day. Time yourself to make sure you can get everything done that you need to do in the time you have available, and make exact step-‐by-‐step lists so you don’t forget something important – like looking at the eclipse! Slide 26: Educators at the University of California at Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory Center for Science Education – a.k.a. Multiverse -‐ have developed a set of integrated science and literacy activities for K-‐5 classrooms called “Eye on the Sky.” These materials are available at http://eyeonthesky.org/. Slide 27: Distribute simple notepads and pencils before the eclipse begins. Periodically during the eclipse event, encourage people to sketch what they see, write down what birds and other animals are doing, and take notes of what they and others are feeling, doing, and saying. For example, sometime during the partial phase before totality, ask everyone to stop, grab their notepads, and write down 5 words to describe what they are feeling at that exact moment. After totality, ask them to sketch what they saw. This journal has the potential to end up being a cherished keepsake for years to come. The journal can also be converted to an electronic format, such as a web page, blog post, and more. The audience member may also want to share it via various social media platforms. Set up a story collection station available immediately after the eclipse. Capture stories and experiences through visual arts and audio or video. Put them on display, either in person or electronically. Hold onto them for the 2024 eclipse and share again then. Have a professional artist or art teacher on hand to capture images/sketches of the eclipse experience while it is happening, such as in an artist-‐ in-‐residence position.
Slide 28: Obtain blank t-‐shirts and gather fabric markers or fabric paints in a variety of colors. Let audience members design and draw their own t-‐shirts to represent and commemorate the eclipse. Do this just after the eclipse while the image is fresh in everyone’s minds. Allow time for the t-‐shirts to dry. Slide 29: Above all, don’t get so wrapped up in doing things that you forget to have fun yourself. Even if you get clouded out at your location, you will still be able to share the experience with others and enjoy a community of people around you who are all focused on one thing: looking up at the sky at an event that has amazed, scared, and delighted humans for countless centuries! Slide 30: We hope you enjoy the eclipse! The Adler Planetarium—America’s First Planetarium—is more than a museum; it is a laboratory, a classroom, and a community exploring the Universe together. Each year, over 550,000 visitors experience the museum’s interactive exhibitions, live planetarium shows, hands-‐on, minds-‐on STEM education programs, and world-‐class collections. Founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler, the Adler Planetarium is a recognized leader in public engagement. The museum's scientists, historians, and educators inspire the next generation of explorers and invite you to explore space with us. http://www.adlerplanetarium.org
Additional eclipse resources: Great American Eclipse: http://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/ Many more eclipse-‐related links are listed in the More section of this website. Southern Illinois University “2017 Solar Eclipse Crossroads”: http://eclipse.siu.edu/
