On Saturday, October 14, observers throughout the central United States will be treated to a spectacular site as an annular solar eclipse fills the sky. While it might be tempting to go outside with your phone and take photos of the eclipse, you should only do so if you are equipped with the right gear.
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The reason you need additional gear to take photos of this upcoming “Ring of Fire” eclipse is because of the intensity of the Sun’s rays. You shouldn’t use your camera or phone to take pictures of the eclipse.
The lenses on your camera and phone are not designed to block the solar rays. The heat generated by the solar rays could cause your phone or camera to melt. If you look through binoculars, or use a telescope, the heat from the rays could melt your eyes.
That’s an incredibly gruesome idea, which is why many photographers use special filters on their cameras to protect them from the sun’s intense rays. You can purchase small filters that attach to your phone, or if you’re using a camera to take photos of the eclipse, you can purchase full-on gear for your camera to make solar photos possible.
The eclipse this weekend will be a very rare event, so you don’t want it to pass you by if you live in its area. If you aren’t in the area, then you can tune in and watch the eclipse through several different live streams while it is happening. Check out this handy guide for more information on where you can watch the Ring of Fire Eclipse ,.
The post Don’t try to take a picture of this weekend’s solar eclipse with your phone appeared first on BGR.
