Altus —- Sunday offers an unusual event in North America but emergency management professionals are advising to not look directly at the sun.

“Looking at the Sun over a prolonged period of time can cause eye injury or blindness,” said Lloyd Colston, City of Altus Emergency Management. “Using a pinhole projector, the event can be safely viewed.”

There are safe ways to view the sun. The simplest requires only a long box (at least 6 feet long), a piece of aluminum foil, a pin, and a sheet of white paper.

One can use only two pieces of cardboard—one piece colored white to project on to, and the other with a pinhole. Hold up the pinhole as far from the screen as you can. Remember, the farther one is from the screen, the bigger the image.

For illustrated directions on how to make a pinhole projector, see “http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html”.

Sadly, Colston said, it does not look like the Altus area will be a good spot for viewing. Projections show the best spot to be in Albuquerque and between Lubbock and Midland, TX. Also, rain showers in the area may obscure the sun altogether.

Those that miss this one, will need to visit Antarctica on April 29, 2014 or wait for August 2017 in North America.

For optimum viewing locations, see “http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html”.