It’s official; the UK was plunged into darkness this morning - in one of the rarest occurrences of the phenomenon ever documented in the British skies.
Almost 90% of the sun’s rays were blacked out by the eclipse across the UK at around 9.30am.
But, while it was beautiful, it is also very dangerous to look at.
While you might be able to look at the sun with no pain as the eclipse occurs, it could be possible that the sun will have burned a dot into the central part of your retina, giving you an after image.
Health experts have, for this reason, warned people against taking selfies - but there are ways to photograph the eclipse safely.
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Always wear your CE-approved safety glasses - the sun can still fry your eyes through your camera / smartphone lens.
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Pop an astrosolar film on the lens of your camera or smartphone, to block out the most dangerous sunlight rays. It reduces the visible light coming into the camera and will let you get a sharper image of the eclipse.
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Make sure the flash is turned off.
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Use a long zoom and do NOT opt for a closeup of the sun; not only is it dangerous for your eyes, but it will also mean you could miss out on some of the action, too.
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If you must take a selfie, doing it with the eclipse in the background will mean you'll have your face turned away from the Sun - but you will need to remember NOT to keep your safety glasses on if you plan on using the reverse-camera function, as you’ll still be staring into the sun via your smartphone screen.
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Try a time lapse photograph or series of shots. But remember not to look directly at the sun as you take it!
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Photograph the eclipse effects on the environment around you. Animals tend to perceive the change in light, even when we do not, so observe birds and other wildlife as they react to the eclipse. And look at your own shadow created by holding your fingers or hands at 90 degrees to each other — one shadow will be sharper than the other.
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**OR you could just set your camera up on a tripod ahead of time, so you can point it in the direction of where it will be at the key moment: at around 9.30am, where 85% of the Sun will be covered. This way, you can focus on watching the eclipse through your own safety glasses and not worry about your camera.
**Remember: Your eyes are precious and, however cool it may be to pose in a selfie without those safety glasses today, it really isn't worth the risk of blindness. Please stay safe.
Make sure you send us your solar eclipse photos to closer@closermag.co.uk when you’re done - we’d love to see them!