Get your eclipse tshirt!
There are also quite a few other things you can do that don't involve looking at the sun!
1. Shadow Snakes - It is rare to see these during a total eclipse, but it will be worth checking. As it nears totality, check the ground for dancing snake-like line shadows. Scientists aren't exactly sure what causes them, though they speculate it could be caused by light from the eclipse being focused and refocused through cells of air in the atmosphere. The best way to see them is on a light background. Some people lay white paper or posterboard on the ground. A cement sidewalk or sand would also be a good place to look for them.
2) Watch the moon's shadow race across an open field. If you are in an open area, and the skies are clear, you will be able to see the shadow of the moon racing across the ground toward you as it begins to cover the sun. Sort of like a huge cloud.
3) Sun Cresents under trees with leaves. This is a good way to see the stages of the eclipse without looking at the sun and risk of harming your eyes. If you find a tree and watch the shadows, the leaves will create hundreds of little cresents covering the ground, mimicking where the moon is covering the sun. This is because the gaps between the leaves are acting as a pinhole camera, projecting the image of the sun on the ground.
4) Day Stars. That's right, as the moon eclipses the sun, you will be able to see the stars during the day. If you are near the path of total eclipse, you may even see Jupiter and Venus!
5) 360-degree sunset. When the sun is completely covered by the moon (totality), you can see what looks like a sunset in every direction on the horizon!
As you can see, there are plenty of things to do if you forgot your glasses or are concerned about your eyes. Stay safe during the eclipse guys! But don't let fear keep you from enjoying it.
Don't forget an eclipse tshirt! Let people know you saw the eclipse, or just that you're a fan of the eclipse and are in the know!
It may be safer to make a pinhole camera, since you don't actually look at the sun with one of those. You look at a projected image of it. Some good instructions for making your own pinhole camera can be found here. Remember! This device is used by standing with the sun behind you and viewing the projected image on the card stock you place on the ground or in front of you. NEVER look through your pinhole directly at the sun.References:
Pinhole Camera - JPS NASA
Things That Will Happen During The Eclipse - Cnet
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