There are a lot of beautiful natural phenomena that one can witness, but not all of them come by very often. Total solar eclipses, for example, only occur every few centuries in particular places, which is why it's important to document them if you can. NASA has provided tips on how to do just that with the upcoming solar eclipse.

Total Solar Eclipse Photography

Compared to lunar eclipses, solar eclipses can be trickier to capture since even with partial blocking by the moon, the light from the sun can still damage your eyes. Fortunately for us, it's still possible, as long as we do so safely.

NASA recommends that when taking a photo of the solar eclipse, you should use a special solar filter to protect your camera. The same goes for solar viewing glasses, which will protect your eyes. Once the sun is blocked totally, you can remove the filter so the sun's corona will be visible.

You won't even need professional-grade cameras. You can use any camera you want, which includes smartphones. You can use a telephoto zoom lens to capture the sun closer, but you can also take a landscape photo to show the effects of the solar eclipse on the environment.

Using a tripod would also be helpful as it can stabilize the camera. The eclipse event will last for a couple of minutes, and if you want to record the duration of the phenomenon, holding your camera up the entire time might not be the best idea.

NASA also suggested using a delayed shutter release timer to take shots without moving the camera by pressing the shutter button. It will also allow you to take in the event without focusing entirely on capturing the moment on camera.

If you don't want to disturb the camera set up on the tripod, you can use other cameras to snap a shot of your surroundings. Since the corona of the sun will still be visible, there is still a little light that will reach Earth, but it will be very dim and will be unlike what you see every day.

Read Also: [WATCH] NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Video of a Solar Eclipse on Mars

Will You Be Able to See the Total Eclipse?

Unfortunately for people in other areas, the total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024 will only be visible from northwest Mexico, through the US, then to southeastern Canada. The path of the event will be 11 miles or 183 kilometers wide on average. Other locations near the area will only see a partial eclipse.

The totality of the solar eclipse will last for up to 4 minutes 28 seconds, according to Space. To sum it up, 15 US states and five provinces of Canada will see it. If you want to witness the rare celestial event, you need to be in the right place at the right time.

Around 11:07 a.m. MST, the total solar eclipse will be visible around northern Mexico. By 1:27 p.m. CDT, the path of totality will reach south central US, arriving in Texas cities like San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

By 1:53 p.m. CDT, it will be seen in the midwest US, particularly in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The northeastern US will see the solar eclipse by 3:15 pm EDT, namely Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Related: NASA Releases New Map Detailing Where To View Solar Eclipses in 2023 and 2024