NASA advises against using smartphones to watch the solar eclipse
The user @MKBHD asked on social network X whether it was possible to film the solar eclipse on a smartphone, and NASA representatives answered this question.
On Monday, April 8, at 14:07 EST, a solar eclipse is expected when the Moon passes in front of the Sun. This event will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada.
At 15:20 EST, the total eclipse will begin, when the Sun will be completely covered by the Moon. This will last approximately 3 minutes and 38 seconds and will be the safest time to observe the phenomenon. At 16:33 EST, the Moon will pass the Sun, ending the event.
NASA strongly recommends not using smartphones to take photos of the eclipse. According to NASA, if you point your camera at the Sun during an eclipse, you could damage some components inside your phone. This is especially dangerous if you use any lenses to zoom in on your phone. You’ll need to use the appropriate filters as you would on any other camera. It’s best practice to keep your sunglasses in front of your phone’s lenses when taking photos of the Sun at any time except during a total eclipse.
I cannot for the life of me find a definitive answer to whether or not pointing a smartphone at a solar eclipse will fry the sensor
Tempted to just take a phone I don’t need and point it at the sun for 5 minutes to find out the real answer myself. In the name of science
– Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) April 4, 2024
NASA recommends focusing on capturing the landscape in front of you and how it is affected by the eclipse, and using 5 guidelines for shooting a solar eclipse.
