Exactly How And When You Can Photograph Next Week’s Partial Eclipse Of The Sun With A Smartphone Or Camera
A dove is pictured in front of the sun during a partial solar eclipse on March 20, 2015 in Muncih, … [+]
On Tuesday, October 25, 202 a deep partial solar eclipse will come to Europe, the Middle East, western Asia and northeast Africa.
North America—alongside South America, Asia and Asia Pacific—will miss out on the event.
For those in the eclipse zone here’s how to photography 2022’s second solar eclipse using a smartphone or “proper” camera.
When is the partial solar eclipse?
The Moon will start to cross the Sun at 08:58 Universal Time (UTC), peaking at 11:00 UTC and leaving the Sun at 13:02 UTC. However, exactly what happens and when in any one location will differ, as will the percentage of the Sun’s disk covered by the New Moon.
A partial solar eclipse is seen behind a Union Jack flag at the Houses of Parliament on June 10, … [+]
How much of the Sun will be eclipsed by the Moon?
In London it will be about 15% while in Siberia, Russia it will reach its maximum obscuration at 82%. This website lets you enter a location and get the local timetable for the eclipse.
Staying safe when photographing the partial solar eclipse
Partial solar eclipses are potentially dangerous. You must never look at them with the naked eye or point unfiltered optical equipment at the Sun . When using a camera, binoculars or a telescope you must use solar filters over the objective lenses. When looking at the eclipse you must using solar eclipse glasses. However, never put solar eclipse glasses over your eyes and then look through any optical device. All you’re doing is concentrating and magnifying the Sun’s harmful rays.
The safest way to look at an eclipsed Sun while using any camera or smartphone is to use solar filters on the objective lenses and to use the LCD screen to compose the shot.
A rare partial solar eclipse is seen at 09.55 over Burford on March 20, 2015 in the Cotswolds, … [+]
Can I look at an eclipsed Sun through cloud?
It’s not safe to do so. Great care needs to be taken because even a slither of an uneclipsed Sun is very, very bright. In practice you might be tempted if the eclipse is virtually hidden by cloud and just occasionally appears slightly visible. If there is a lot of cloud and you’re tempted to take the filters off, don’t ever look through your camera’s optical viewfinder—use the LCD screen.
How to photograph the partial solar eclipse using a smartphone
You won’t get a great photo unless you use a solar filter of some kind because even a partially eclipsed Sun is very bright. So make a DIY solar filter for a smartphone using a pair of solar eclipse glasses. Place one of the “lenses” over your smartphone’s camera lens (or lenses) and secure using masking tape or similar. Then zoom in—which some phones will cope with much better than others. Be careful not to look at the eclipsed Sun yourself as you do this—just look at your smartphone’s screen. You can do the same thing with a compact camera. A tripod will help enormously.
The camera of an amateur photographer displays the sun’s disk which is obscured by the moon during … [+]
How to photograph the partial solar eclipse using a camera
Here’s what to do if you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera:
- Use a big camera lens of about 600mm. A 1.4x extender on a 300m lens is another alternative.
- A tripod plus a shutter release to prevent blur-inducing vibrations when you depress the shutter button.
- Record photos in the raw format so you can post-process more easily.
- With a solar filter on (Baader and Thousands Oaks Optical are reliable), use “live view” to auto-focus on the Sun’s limb (or on the edge of the Moon once the eclipse is underway).
- Lock your focus by putting your camera into manual mode.
- Always shoot in the raw format.
- Exact settings will vary hugely depending on your equipment and the conditions, but try aperture f/5.6 to f/8, ISO 100 and shutter speeds 1/500s to 1/1000s.
The partial solar eclipse is seen on June 21, 2020 in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province of China. (Photo by … [+]
How to plan a shot of the solar eclipse
While those in northwest Europe will see the eclipse in the south in the morning, those farther east will see it in the southwest closer to sunset. The exact position of the Sun and Moon is crucial. These online resources will help you plan your shot, though it’s a good plan to visit your intended viewing site in the mornings before the day so you know exactly what to expect.
Russ Day holds a kitchen colander as the round holds show the shape of the partial solar eclipse at … [+]
Creative shots of solar eclipses
Although it’s technically possible, images of partial solar eclipse tend to have a souvenir feel about them. Given that they mostly look the same, consider something more creative. Images of poeple watching the eclipse while wearing solar eclipse glasses can be a much more powerful image. Ditto images of “crescent Suns” filtered through a kitchen colander on to the ground or on to a wall.
Disclaimer: I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of The Complete Guide To The Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
