Ohio 2024 Solar Eclipse Pinhole Viewer

This is a pinhole viewer. It is possible to use it to project an image of the Sun (or a bright light source) anytime. The hole shape does not affect the image. if the hole is small enough the image you get is of the light source. When used with the Sun this means that both holes will produce a round spot. During the partial phases of a solar eclipse a crescent Sun will be projected. In this way the eclipse can be safely viewed. The hole is NOT for looking through the holes towards the Sun - NEVER look at the Sun without proper solar filters. Instead hold the shape facing towards and roughly parallel to the Sun with your back roughly to the Sun pinhole images of the Sun will be produced in the shadow of the viewer. There is a good focal point, so move the viewer to find it. Also, a smooth surface is better than an uneven one. I sized this so that I could print 4 at a time on my Prusa iMK3s.

This object was made in Tinkercad. Edit it online https://www.tinkercad.com/things/fTwCTgssjPs or with one pinhole but enlarged and improved text at https://www.tinkercad.com/things/anfYCdVGpHO-2024-total-solar-eclipse-ohio-pinhole-viewer-fixed-text thanks to improvements from the user who made this make (https://www.thingiverse.com/make:1172586).

Back in 2017 NASA made a set of solar eclipse pinhole viewers for all 50 states that had the path of totality (or for states outside of it, relevant state totality lines), and two pinholes for viewing the Sun during the eclipse. I tried modifying their stl, but it did not go well. So I instead found a less detailed map of Ohio from user remyspencer. On TinkerCAD I used an svg version of Ohio's eclipse logo (https://ema.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/3c929bed-f4c1-428c-9d5f-a06e983f722b/logo-eclipse.png) to engrave the surface. Using an svg eclipse map overlay I was able to trace the eclipse path. The star pinhole is the state capital Columbus just outside the path of totality. There's personal bias to the placement of the heart hole- it is roughly placed over Russia where I teach and Troy where I live.

NASA's 2017 pinhole viewers: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/2d3d-printable-pinhole-projectors
NASA's 2024 US viewer: https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/detail/usa-eclipse-2024