Spain will experience this Wednesday the first total solar eclipse visible from the Peninsula in more than a century. The path of totality will cross the country from west to east and the phenomenon will occur during sunset, with the sun positioned very close to the horizon in much of the territory.
The exceptional nature of the event will cause millions of phones and cameras to point towards the sky. However, recording the eclipse safely requires distinguishing between the protection of our eyes and the protection that the photographic equipment needs.
The fundamental rule during the partial phases is to avoid looking directly at the sun without adequate protection and to use a specific solar filter when using cameras or other optical devices. The precautions change only during the brief moments of totality in those places where the sun is completely covered.
How to record the eclipse with your mobile
Using a mobile phone to record the eclipse does not automatically make the observation safe. Looking at the phone screen should not be used as a substitute for specific solar observation glasses, especially because when preparing the framing, it is possible to accidentally direct your gaze towards the sun.
If you intend to point the camera directly at the phenomenon during the partial phases, an appropriate solar filter for the equipment must be used. This must be correctly placed in front of the lens through which the radiation enters.
A practical option is to prepare the phone in advance using a tripod or stable support. This allows you to set the framing and reduce the need to continuously manipulate the device while aiming at the eclipse.
The mobile screen does not protect the eyes
One of the mistakes to avoid is considering that observing the phenomenon through the screen eliminates any risk. The phone can show the image captured by its camera, but that does not prevent the user from accidentally looking at the sun while placing or moving the device.
Eye protection is still necessary whenever looking directly at the sun during the partial phases. Conventional glasses, no matter how dark they are, also do not provide the necessary protection for solar observation.
For this reason, it is convenient to separate both actions. The device must be prepared to record with the corresponding protection and the user must use eye protection whenever they need to direct their gaze towards the sun during the phases in which there is still a visible part of its bright surface.
The camera also needs a solar filter
A camera, whether independent or integrated into a phone, should not be treated as if it were a simple glass placed between the user and the eclipse. The equipment used to photograph the sun directly needs the appropriate protection.
Solar filters intended for optical equipment must be placed at the front of the device, before the sunlight passes through and is concentrated by its optical elements.
This becomes even more important when using telephoto lenses or equipment capable of significantly enlarging the image. The greater the optical capacity of the system, the more important it is to follow the manufacturer's specific instructions and use material designed for solar observation or photography.
Do not use eclipse glasses as an improvised filter for the camera
The approved eclipse glasses are designed to protect the eyes during direct observation, but should not be confused with filters intended for cameras, telescopes, or binoculars.
It is also not safe to look through a camera, telescope, or binoculars while simply wearing eclipse glasses. Optical devices concentrate solar rays and need a specific filter correctly installed at their front.
Therefore, one should not improvise by placing any material in front of the lens. The filter used must be appropriate for the device and for direct observation or photography of the sun.
Be very careful with telescopes and binoculars
The risk increases when trying to connect the mobile to binoculars or a telescope to obtain an enlarged image of the eclipse. These instruments concentrate solar radiation and should not be pointed directly at the sun without filters specifically designed for that purpose.
The eclipse glasses that a person is wearing do not solve this problem. The filter must be correctly placed at the front of the instrument, that is, at the end where sunlight enters.
The safety recommendations are especially strict at this point: one must not look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device without the corresponding filtering system.
What changes during the totality of the eclipse
The eclipse on August 12 will be total only within the path of totality that crosses part of Spain. In those places, there will be a brief interval during which the Moon will completely cover the bright surface of the sun.
Only during that phase of totality can the phenomenon be observed directly without specific eclipse glasses. The exception lasts only while the bright surface remains completely hidden.
As soon as any bright part of the sun reappears, even if minimal, protection must be immediately restored. This moment requires special attention from those who are focused on recording and may lose the exact reference of when totality ends.
Outside the path of totality, you cannot remove the protection
Not all of Spain will see a total eclipse. Outside the path of totality, the phenomenon will be partial and there will be no moment when it is safe to look directly at the sun without proper eye protection.
This difference is fundamental for those intending to travel to photograph or record the eclipse. The possibility of temporarily removing protection depends on being truly within the path of totality.
The National Geographic Institute has information to consult how the eclipse will be from each municipality and to know if a locality is within that path, as well as the corresponding times for the start, maximum, and end of the phenomenon.
How to get a good video without recording the sun directly
Getting a memory of the eclipse does not necessarily require obtaining a close-up of the solar disk. In fact, the landscape and changes in lighting can become some of the most interesting elements to record with a mobile phone.
During the advance of the eclipse, the ambient light progressively changes, and its effects on shadows can also be recorded. The small openings between the leaves of the trees can behave like natural projectors and reproduce images of the partial phases on the ground.
Recording these effects, the landscape, or the reaction of people allows capturing the phenomenon without continuously keeping a camera pointed directly at the sun. For a phone without specialized optical equipment, it can also be a much more attractive way to document the experience.
Use a tripod and prepare the framing in advance
Preparing the equipment before the decisive moment begins reduces the need to manipulate the phone while the eclipse progresses. A tripod or support allows keeping the image stable and leaving the framing prepared.
The timer or some compatible remote shooting system can also be used with the device. The goal is to avoid constantly correcting the camera's position while trying to simultaneously follow the phenomenon.
Furthermore, the Spanish eclipse of 2026 will have an important peculiarity for photography: totality will occur with the sun very low on the horizon. Choosing a place with good visibility to the west in advance will therefore be essential to achieve the image.
What to do if you don't have a filter for the camera
If the appropriate material is not available, the solution is not to improvise. X-rays, smoked glass, conventional photographic filters, or other homemade materials should not be used to point a camera directly at the sun.
A safe alternative consists of recording the environment, the shadows, and the changes in lighting without directing the device directly at the solar disk. A broadcast made with equipment specifically prepared for astronomical observation can also be followed.
The eclipse on August 12 will be exceptional, but trying to get a photograph or video does not justify putting your eyesight or equipment at risk. If the appropriate protection is not available, the safest option is not to point the camera directly at the sun.
of interest
Can I suffer damage if I watch the eclipse through my mobile and save on glasses?
Looking only at the mobile screen does not damage the eyes due to solar radiation. The risk arises when framing or handling the phone, as you may accidentally look at the sun without protection.
Will my camera be damaged if I don't have a protector?
There is a risk of damaging the sensor by pointing directly at the sun, especially during prolonged exposures or with telephoto lenses. It is advisable to use an appropriate solar filter for the camera.
Can I put the eclipse glasses in front of the camera?
It is not advisable to use them as an improvised photographic filter. The camera should use an appropriate solar filter for the equipment.
Do sunglasses work for watching the eclipse?
No. Not even very dark sunglasses provide sufficient protection to look directly at the sun.
Can I look without glasses during totality?
Yes, but only within the totality zone and while the sun is completely covered. As soon as a bright part reappears, you must protect yourself again.
Can I use binoculars or telescopes?
Yes, but only with a specific solar filter properly placed on the front of the instrument. Eclipse glasses alone are not enough.