If you have a colander, a cheese grater — even a cracker with holes in it — you likely already have what's needed to safely view next week's solar eclipse.
People can use almost anything with a hole in it to see the eclipse projected onto the ground or a piece of paper, said Sally Brummel, who manages the planetarium programs at the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum of Natural History. They'll see crescents even if they look at the shadows cast by tree leaves.
"The one thing we're trying to share is that you don't need to go anywhere special," Brummel said. "You don't really need any special equipment to view it."
When the eclipse runs its course late morning through early afternoon on Aug. 21, the sky in Minnesota won't get dark like it will in states along the path of totality. But if the weather is clear locally, those paying attention and using the proper equipment will see an eclipse with about 80 percent coverage of the sun by the moon.
To look at it directly, specialized viewers such as solar eclipse glasses (normal sunglasses won't work) are needed, since the sun is far too bright to view without causing eye damage.
NASA recommends that people outside the path of totality — such as in Minnesota — keep the glasses on during the entire eclipse, since there won't be a point when the moon completely blocks the sun.
Eclipse watchers also should keep on their glasses before and after looking at the sun to ensure they don't take them off during the eclipse, and avoid looking at the eclipse through an unfiltered camera, telescope or binoculars even with solar eclipse glasses on. The American Astronomical Society has a list of reputable vendors of solar filters and viewers on its website.
Free NASA-certified eclipse-viewing glasses are available at Warby Parker stores, and 600 glasses will be available Wednesday at the Jerry Gamble branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, 2410 Irving Av. N., Minneapolis, courtesy of UnitedHealthcare.
