A solar eclipse will be visible in North America tonight: How to watch in person and online

The solar eclipse occurring today marks a rare celestial event. Millions across Europe will witness a partial or total eclipse as the moon obscures the sun. In Spain and Iceland, the totality lasts from one to three minutes, while portions of North America will observe a partial eclipse. People will flock to their phones to capture this moment.

Yet, warnings abound: pointing a camera at the sun endangers the device. Direct sunlight focused through a phone's lens burns the photodiodes inside the camera sensor, creating permanent dead pixels that cannot be rectified by software updates. The concentrated heat through the lens damages the sensor's light-sensitive components, and even a few seconds of direct exposure pose risks.

This threat extends beyond phones; digital cameras, binoculars, and telescopes are equally vulnerable. NASA expressly cautions against this practice. A simple and practical solution involves holding eclipse glasses directly in front of the phone's camera lens while photographing. Eclipse glasses block 99.99% of the sun's light, filtering out harmful rays while enabling the phone to capture the eclipse safely.

Position the glasses over the lens, take the picture, and then remove them. However, this method yields less-than-professional results, as precise framing and image quality are compromised. Legitimacy is crucial, with ISO 12312-2 certification required for safety. Alternatively, a pinhole projector can be constructed using a colander or similar object to create an indirect view of the eclipse.

This allows safe observation without directly pointing anything at the sun. There is one exception when direct sun photography becomes safe: during totality. The brief period when the moon entirely blocks the sun permits safe capture of the corona without protection. This is the sole moment when direct photography without eclipse glasses or solar filters is permissible.

Prior to totality's end and the reemergence of the sun's edge, reapply protective measures immediately. Directly viewing the eclipse through the camera viewfinder, optical sight, or lens is strictly forbidden even when wearing eclipse glasses. The concentrated solar rays can burn through the filter, potentially causing irreversible eye damage.

During partial eclipse phases, always aim the camera without looking through the viewfinder, ensuring safe and effective capturing of the event.