Design of an Outdoor Solar Eclipse Viewing Structure

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon partially or totally obscures the sun from an Earth-based viewer. Due to the relative sizes and positions of the objects involved, the sun and moon appear approximately the same size when viewed from Earth, allowing the moon to completely cover the sun when the timing and alignment are right. The occurrence of a total eclipse at a particular location is rare, only taking place on average every 375 years. Erie, Pennsylvania, experienced this once-in-a-lifetime event during the 2024 solar eclipse of April 8th that swept across the nation from Texas to Maine, passing directly over Erie. The eclipse lasted 2 hours and 28 minutes, and the only safe time to observe the eclipse without a solar filter was during the 3 minutes and 42 seconds of totality from approximately 3:16 to 3:20 PM EST. An eclipse is an event that people want to personally witness and, as such, many people are compelled to stare at the sun during the partial phases of the eclipse. This raises concerns for eye safety, since the sun emits ultraviolet radiation which can, unknowingly to the observer, cause permanent damage to unprotected eyes. Children are especially susceptible, as they are least likely to proactively protect their vision. In this paper, we discuss design and construction challenges encountered while building a large temporary outdoor viewing structure to accommodate multiple people viewing the eclipse at the same time without the need for individual protective eye wear.