Making a color filter wheel

NOTE: Do not use this filter wheel to look at the sun.
You should never look directly at the sun without protection.
This filter wheel is NOT for viewing the sun.

Materials needed for EACH filter wheel

• Two sturdy paper plates
• One piece of blue cellophane (approx. 6 inches x 6 inches)
• One piece of red cellophane (approx. 6 inches x 6 inches)
• One piece of yellow cellophane (approx. 6 inches x 6 inches) (cellophane can be found in the craft section of most stores)
• One brass "thumbtack-like" fastener
• An exacto knife or sharp scissors
• Clear tape
• A pencil

Once you have cut out your first section, place this paper plate on top of the second plate and trace around the inside of the cutout portion onto the other plate. Now rotate your cut plate about 1/3 of the way around and trace out the section again. Rotate the top plate another 1/3 and trace out the section one more time onto the uncut plate. The uncut plate should now have three, equal sections traced onto it. Make sure there is enough space between each section so the plate will hold together once you cut them out. Cut out each of the sections that you just traced onto the plate.

You should now have two paper plates, one with a single section and another with three cut out sections, as shown. Take the plate with three sections and tape a different color of cellophane onto the back of each opening. Make sure to trim your cellophane so that it does not extend over more than one opening.

Punch a small hole through the center of each plate with your pencil

The two plates should be able to rotate easily so that you can look through one color at a time.

Landscape Discussion

Filters Lesson

The Crab Nebula