NASA: Don’t point cellphones directly at sun while taking eclipse pics

If you’re planning to take pictures of the solar eclipse today, NASA is here to remind you that aiming your cellphone directly at the sun might come with some consequences.

“We asked our @NASAHQPhoto team, and the answer is yes, the phone sensor could be damaged just like any other image sensor if it’s pointed directly at the sun. This is especially true if you’re using any sort of magnifying lens attachment on the phone,” NASA replied to a user on X who asked if pointing a smartphone at the solar eclipse could damage its sensor.

MORE: This interactive map shows you the best time to see the solar eclipse in your city

So how do we go about taking photos of the eclipse?

Don’t worry; NASA gave us some tips.

The space agency says you can use a proper solar filter to protect your phone, just like you would any other camera.

“The best practice would be to hold a pair of eclipse glasses in front of your phone’s lenses when photographing the sun at any point other than totality,” NASA stated.

NASA says that during totality of the eclipse, meaning when the moon covers the sun completely, you can most definitely take off the filter to see the sun’s corona.

At the end of the day, NASA reassures us that any camera will do the trick — you just need to handle it with care. And don’t forget, the best photos come from those spontaneous, candid moments.

“The real pictures are going to be of the people around you pointing, gawking, and watching it,” NASA’s photographer Bill Ingalls said in a press release. “Those are going to be some great moments to capture to show the emotion of the whole thing.”

For more tips on how to take photos of the eclipse on Monday, just click here, as NASA has you covered.

By Scripps News.