BBC Sky at Night

Capturing totality

CAUTION Never observe or image the Sun with the naked eye or any unfiltered optical instrument

Photographing a total eclipse of the Sun is exciting. To make the most of it, though, requires some pre-planning. In this article, we'll suggest ways to make it as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. If you've never photographed a total solar eclipse before, trying to catch everything that happens may be overambitious. Instead, only tackle what you're comfortable with and do plenty of rehearsals, as then you'll be able to fully enjoy the day

First, let's think about kit. Many different imaging devices can record an eclipse, but the demands of travelling to a specific location typically mean that self-contained units such as DSLRs are popular. Plenty of charged batteries and SD memory cards are a must, as well as

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