Sun Image

Place a pair of binoculars in an open window in the direct path of the sun’s rays. Stand a mirror in front of one eyepiece so that it throws an image of the sun on to the opposite wall of the room.Adjust the mirror until the image is sharp, and darken the room.

You would risk damaging your eyes if you looked directly at the sun through binoculars, but you can view the bright disc on the wall as large and clear as in the movies. Clouds and birds passing over can also be distinguished and. if the binoculars are good even sunspots. These are a few hot areas on the glowing sphere, some so big that many terrestrial globes could fit into them. Because of the earth’s rotation, the sun’s image moves quite quickly across the wall. Do not forget to re-align the binoculars from time to time onto the sun. The moon and stars cannot be observed in this way because the light coming from them is too weak.