Watching a solar eclipse is one of the most beautiful experiences. Besides being an impressive phenomenon, it is very educational to watch it with children and answer those questions that we even asked ourselves when we were little. However, looking directly at the sun, especially for several seconds, can compromise the health of our eyes and permanently harm us. Here’s an easy trick so you can enjoy this phenomenon with things you probably have at home:

Scissors, aluminum, a sheet of paper or cardboard, adhesive tape, and a needle or paper clip.

1. Cut a circle in the middle of a sheet of paper or cardboard.
2. Cover the hole with a small piece of aluminum and tape the edges of the aluminum to the sheet with adhesive tape.
3. Carefully poke the aluminum with the needle or paper clip, leaving a small hole.

DONE! To use it, simply point the sheet towards the sun. This sheet will serve as a projector so that the solar eclipse can be seen on a wall or another white surface (it can be another sheet or cardboard) without looking directly at the sky. The eclipse is estimated to last a little less than 3 minutes. You can also use an X-ray to see the eclipse through the dark side of it. Did you know that depending on where you live, you will see a different percentage of obscuration?

70 percent obscuration

Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Sonora. In these states, the approximate start time will be at 10 am and it will reach its maximum point at 10:30 am.

50 to 25 percent

Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Mexico City, Colima, Durango, State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Nayarit, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán, Zacatecas. In these states it will start around 1:00 PM and will reach its maximum point approximately at 1:30 PM.

25 to 5 percent

Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, and Oaxaca. In this case, it will also start around 1:00 PM. Don’t miss this tutorial on how to make paper stars with your children!