{"id":33589,"date":"2017-08-18T14:19:01","date_gmt":"2017-08-18T18:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=33589"},"modified":"2017-08-25T08:55:16","modified_gmt":"2017-08-25T12:55:16","slug":"3d-printing-celebrate-total-solar-eclipse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/3d-printing-celebrate-total-solar-eclipse","title":{"rendered":"3D Printing to Celebrate the Total Solar Eclipse"},"content":{"rendered":"

This\u00a0article<\/a>\u00a0originally appeared on\u00a03DPrint.com<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

In case you had somehow missed the reports that have been flooding the news and social media all over the United States, the solar eclipse that\u2019s happening this Monday, August 21st, will be observable within a band across 2,400 miles of the U.S. The 12 million people who live in the path of totality, and the\u00a0millions of visitors expected to flood these areas<\/a>, will have the chance to see a rare total solar eclipse, while everyone else in the country, and other countries, will see a partial eclipse.<\/p>\n

People are obviously excited, as it\u2019s been a pretty long time since we last had the chance to see one in America. The last total solar eclipse in the US was in 1979, and the upcoming eclipse will be the first in nearly 100 years to stretch all the way from the West Coast to the East Coast. However, there are also concerns sweeping the nation about eclipse safety, and possible vision loss if you purchase a fake pair of eclipse glasses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe danger is real for permanent vision loss,\u201d\u00a0Dr.\u00a0Russell N. Van Gelder, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and clinical spokesman for the American Academy of\u00a0Ophthalmology, told\u00a0NBC Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worry in the eclipse is that people are so interested to see one of the great astronomic spectacles that they will suppress their inner drive to look away from the very bright light.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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[Image: NASA]<\/p><\/div>Regular sunglasses won\u2019t do the trick \u2013\u00a0NASA is advising<\/a>\u00a0people to only purchase glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Also, if you\u2019re buying a pair online, make sure to see if the seller is on the\u00a0American Astronomical Society\u2019s list of reputable vendors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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However, you can still have fun and celebrate the eclipse while making sure to keep your eyes safe from harm. NASA published a list of fun eclipse activities, including\u00a03D printable pinhole projectors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not celebrate the eclipse by making your own 2D\/3D Printed Pinhole Projector in the shape of the USA and\/or a US State?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"totalYou can\u00a0download the STL files here<\/a>\u00a0for pinhole projectors in the shape of each American state, or you can print one out in the shape of the entire country if you want to go bigger; you can also\u00a0download the PDF files<\/a>\u00a0to print a 2D state out of paper if you don\u2019t have access to a 3D printer but want to join in on the fun.<\/p>\n

You can capture a really unique memory by asking someone to take a picture of your shadow during the eclipse this Monday while you\u2019re holding your 3D printed pinhole projector. The unique image will show your shadow, the shadow of your chosen state, and \u201ca projected image of the partial eclipse marking your location!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"totalNASA also suggests drilling an additional pinhole in your 3D printed projector that marks your exact location, which will obviously be much simpler if you print out a single state as opposed to the entire US. You can experiment with different sizes of pinholes, and paint or decorate your projector with your state colors and symbols. Additionally, if you\u2019re feeling especially creative, you can secure your pinhole projector and make your own time lapse movie.<\/p>\n

NASA is reminding people to share images of their 3D printed pinhole projectors on their\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Flickr<\/a> accounts. When you post a picture, use\u00a0#EclipseSelfie\u00a0<\/strong>and write a one or two sentence description of your image.<\/p>\n