Summer Reading at New York Libraries

Although this activity isn’t a “make and take,” it offers great hands-on exploration of how distance can affect the way we perceive the size of an object. It makes a good introduction to solar eclipse as well as Sun and Moon’s sizes and distances from Earth. The idea behind this activity is very simple and the activity itself is easy to do, making it accessible even for young kids.

The cereal box becomes a way to answer questions about an eclipse and steps for safe viewing. The box can be designed by using images that have been cut out and glued to the outside of the box, as well as written steps for safe viewing using solar glasses, and hand drawings of the umbral and penumbral shadow cones. The design is totally up to each participant.

Using simple materials, participants create 3D models of the Earth, Moon and Sun and demonstrate solar and lunar eclipses. This method uses 3 steps that allow learners to engage, explore, and make meaning.

Vsitors find the Sun’s location in the sky for different points in time during an eclipse. They will then use mobile devices to measure lux before and during the eclipse to examine the impact a solar eclipse has on the energy received at Earth’s surface.

The Danjon Scale of Lunar Eclipse Brightness illustrates the range of colors and brightness the Moon can take on during a total lunar eclipse and is a useful tool to observers in characterizing the appearance of an eclipse. Visitors use the scale to assign an “L” value at three points during the eclipse. After the eclipse, visitors compare and justify their evaluations of the eclipse.

The Sun’s corona (Latin for "crown") is the outermost part of its atmosphere. It is a jacket of extremely hot gases that reaches far into space. The magnetic energy and heat on the surface of the Sun makes it an incredibly active place. From the corona comes the solar wind that travels through our solar system.

"Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse" is a hands-on activity demonstrating how the particular alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon can cause an eclipse. Visitors investigate the positions of these objects to create shadows and learn about solar eclipses.

"Exploring Earth: Bear’s Shadow" is a hands-on activity designed primarily for young visitors and their families. Participants move a flashlight around an object to make and experiment with shadows. The activity can be connected to a storybook about a little bear exploring his own shadow, and also has connections to the geometry of a solar eclipse as the Moon and Sun cast a shadow onto Earth.

Create 3D models of the Earth, Moon and Sun and demonstrate solar and lunar eclipse in this group activity. Show why we do not see eclipses at every full and new Moon.

In this activity, participants use a paper plate to build a model that shows why lunar eclipses don’t happen during every full moon.

The sun may seem featureless, but the closer we look, the more we see. These pages will let your peer through the sun using X-rays, ultraviolet light, and even magnetic fields. How much can you find going on in the sun?

A series of space-related games and activities from the SEAL website.

Build a Sun Funnel for Group Viewing of Solar Eclipses & Other Fascinating Solar Phenomena "is a step-by-step illustrated guide to constructing a simple, inexpensive device that enables multiple people to observe a projected image of the Sun simultaneously and safely. Written by Rick Fienberg (AAS), Chuck Bueter (NightWise.org), and Lou Mayo (then at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center), the document is intended for amateur and professional astronomers who know how to operate a telescope for solar observing and includes a detailed explanation of the mathematical underpinnings of the Sun Funnel design (or not, as you wish)."

Experience the Great North American Solar Eclipse "is an 11-by-17-inch full-color poster created for the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force by astronomer-artist Tyler Nordgren (Space Art Travel Bureau). We are making it available to download for free and use online and/or to print and frame or otherwise display at your own expense. Click on the thumbnail at left to see all three versions: English, Spanish, and French. The files linked below are 4-megabyte JPGs sized for 300 dpi printing at 100%, i.e., 11 x 17 inches."