How to Photograph the Partial Solar Eclipse with a Smartphone

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Preparing for the Partial Solar Eclipse, 29 March 2025

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:

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.

About the Author

Anthony Robinson is the founder and owner of Skies & Scopes, a publication and community focused on amateur astronomy and astrophotography. His work has been featured in publications such as Amateur Astrophotography, Forbes, the Guardian, DIY Photography, PetaPixel, and Digital Camera World - read more.

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