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How to Take Photos of the Solar Eclipse - Experts Weigh In!

How to Take Photos of the Solar Eclipse - Experts Weigh In!

The 2017 Solar Eclipse is set to sweep across North America in just a few hours, and many are wondering if they can take photos with their cellphone.

“It’s one of the most challenging things to photograph, even with a good DSLR camera,” Andrew Symes, an astronomy photographer, told Time magazine. “It’s challenging because the brightness of the sun is changing as the moon crosses in front of it.”

First, you need to be wearing eclipse glasses before you look up at the event.

“[The glasses] dim the sun enough so that it doesn’t just look like a small circle,” Andrew continued. “You should be able to see the moon take a bite out of the sun.”

Experts suggest that using an app such as NightCap Camera may help. In addition, other experts say to set up your cellphone on a tripod or using a selfie stick so that you can actually view the phenomenon.

“You want to take those three or four rare minutes,” Andrew added. “You want to make sure you haven’t missed the moment because you were fiddling with a camera.”

Other experts say that zooming in is a bad idea, and try setting your camera to take a time-lapse video instead. Happy viewing!

READ MORE ABOUT THE 2017 ECLIPSE:

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Photos: Getty
Posted to: 2017 Solar Eclipse