On Saturday March 29, 2025 there will be a partial solar eclipse.
This occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun so part of the Sun is blocked.
It will be visible in:
- The North-Eastern US states
- Eastern Canada
- North and Western Europe
When it will occur will depend on where you are in the world, for example:
- New York: 6.44 am to 7.04 am
- Montreal: 6.39 am to 7.13 am
- London, Dublin: 10am to midday
- Berlin: 11.30 am to 1 pm
- Oslo: 11.30am to 1.19 pm
You can check for your location using this page from timeanddate.com
You will need to hope for cloud-free skies to have a good view.
How to view it
You should only view the eclipse with certified solar eclipse glasses or binoculars
For the sake of safety, I’d recommend american-made from Celestron:
Never look directly at the Sun even during an eclipse – it can cause severe eye damage.
Don’t look directly at it through a telescope or binoculars without adding a proper solar filter like this.
How to photograph it
There are a number of different ways you can capture images of the eclipse:
- With a DSLR or mirrorless camera – you will need a solar filter. A telephoto lens (or telescope) will capture close-up shots. A wide-angle lens will capture the overall scene, including the landscape and people around you.
- With a Smart Telescope – these are equipped with solar filters and are probably the easiest option. See here where I used the Dwarf 2 to photograph the sun and how the SeeStar can be used to capture a solar eclipse
- With a Smartphone – you will need a solar filter so that you don’t damage the sensor. Alternatively you can use a device like the Vaonis Hestia. See here where I used the Hestia to photograph the sun. See more tips below.
Smartphone Eclipse Photography Tips
- Stability
- Use a tripod or prop your phone against a stable surface to avoid shaky images.
- Exposure and Focus
- Most smartphones have automatic exposure, but you can often adjust it by tapping on the screen.
- Tap on the sun (with the solar filter on) to set the focus.
- During totality, experiment with adjusting the exposure to capture the corona.
- Zooming
- Digital zoom on smartphones often degrades image quality.
- Experiment by capturing images both with and without the zoom (and then cropping in) and see what looks best
- Wide-Angle Shots
- Don’t just focus on the sun. Capture the surrounding environment, the changing light, and the reactions of people around you. These can make for memorable photos.
- Burst Mode
- Use burst mode to capture a series of images, especially during the “diamond ring” effect (the brief flash of light just before and after totality).
- Video and Time-Lapse
- Consider recording a video or time-lapse of the eclipse.
- Practice
- Familiarize yourself with your smartphone’s camera settings beforehand. Practice taking photos of the sun (with a solar filter) to get a feel for the exposure.