The first of two solar eclipses in 2025 will wow astrophotographers and stargazers this weekend, particularly those situated in eastern North America. I’m particularly envious of anyone situated in this area, as they’ll be treated to a partial solar eclipse to remember as up to 93 percent of the sun is blocked by the moon. And while the US and Canada will get the best view, the solar eclipse will be visible in Europe, albeit with less obscuration (30 percent in London). As always, you must use solar eclipse glasses, and solar filters if you intend to photograph the celestial event on March 29.
So, what can you expect to see from your location? What tools and techniques will you need to photograph the eclipse? And how can you stay safe while capturing the Sun? Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming partial solar eclipse this weekend…
Both solar and lunar eclipses present great photo opportunities, so make sure you know how to photograph a lunar eclipse, too.
When and where is the solar eclipse?
Your view of the partial solar eclipse on March 29 will vary greatly depending on your location. This map can be used to gather data on your exact location. For example, eastern North America will get the best views, with up to 93 percent obscuration in Quebec and around 85 percent obscuration in Maine. Exact timings will differ from location to location, but if you were in Montreal, for example, the maximum eclipse will take place around 10:20 (UTC) and if you were in New York, the event will peak at 10:13 (UTC). According to Live Science, the solar eclipse will be visible in 13 US States. The eclipse will be visible in much of Europe, too. London will see 30-percent obstruction, with the eclipse peaking at 11:03 (UTC).
The last solar eclipse was in October of 2024, but while this was visible in parts of North America it was not visible in Europe. The next solar eclipse, after this month’s, will be in September of this year. However, it will only be visible in the south of Australia. Visit Timeanddate.com and enter your location to find out exactly what you’ll see as well as local timings.
A solar eclipse can be a potentially dangerous event, especially for photographers. Read on to find out how to keep safe.
Why you MUST use solar filters on your camera
The Sun’s infrared and ultraviolet rays are incredibly dangerous. You must use solar eclipse glasses to look at this event and put solar filters on the front of any telescope, binoculars or camera lens. Never look through a camera’s optical viewfinder; always use the LCD screen instead.
Take a look at the best solar filters for Digital Camera World's top picks. You will also find options to purchase solar film so you can make your own filters. Traditional filter manufacturers such as LEE, Marumi, Hitech, and Hoya also make special neutral-density filters that are dark enough to use as solar eclipse filters.
Where, when and how to plan a shot of the solar eclipse
Unless you’re traveling to photograph this partial solar eclipse at sunrise – where a low horizon is obviously very important – then there are no special precautions to take aside from protecting your eyes and camera equipment. Europeans will see an eclipsed Sun reasonably high in the sky. For a more global understanding of what’s happening (and with handy links to PeakFinder so you can check out your horizon) consult the aforementioned interactive Google Map of this eclipse. The Photographer’s Ephemeris or PhotoPills apps can help you plan a shot in exquisite detail, too.
How to photograph the partial solar eclipse
Get hold of a white-light solar filter. If you don't then this project is a non-starter. It would also be helpful to get the longest telephoto lens you can find; 300mm will suffice, but 600mm is better (see best 150-600mm lenses). A 1.4x extender will bump up the focal length (see best teleconverters), but it may be at the cost of sharpness. Set the aperture to between f/5.6 and f/8. With your camera and long lens on a tripod, use your LCD screen on ‘live view’ to find the eclipsed Sun and then auto-focus on the edge of the Moon.
Put your camera into manual mode to lock that focus, set it to ISO100 and try shutter speeds of between 1/500sec to 1/1000sec. Consider bracketing either side of 1/500sec). That’s some basic settings, but you’ll need to experiment – preferably beforehand – to learn what works for your camera and the sky conditions. Always shoot in the raw format, and use the best camera remote or intervalometer so you can keep the entire rig perfectly still.
How to photograph the solar eclipse at sunrise and sunset
The partial solar eclipse will not be visible at sunset from any inhabited portion of Earth, but some regions in North America will get to witness a rare eclipsed sunrise. When Is The Next Eclipse has pinpointed New Brunswick and north Quebec as ideal sunrise spots, but some US States including Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Maine, will also get to enjoy this rare celestial treat.
How to photograph the solar eclipse from the UK
Things are different in Europe, where all photographers will need a solar filter whatever the weather. In London the eclipse takes place between 10:07 and 12:00 (GMT), peaking at 11:03 when 30% of the Sun will be eclipsed. In Cardiff it’s 35% at 11:00 (GMT), in Edinburgh it’s 40% at 11:07 (GMT) and in Belfast it’s 42% at 11:02 (GMT). It will all happen at an altitude of about 35º-40º, so reasonably high up in the daytime sky. Finding a low horizon won’t be necessary.
Future solar eclipses
If the weather doesn’t play nice, or it proves too technical, there’s always another eclipse. The next solar eclipse occurs on September 21, 2025, but the only inhabited region where this partial eclipse will be visible is the south of Australia.
The next annular solar eclipse will be on February 17 2026, but again, this will only be visible in the Southern Hemisphere. The next solar eclipse visible in the Northern Hemisphere will be the total solar eclipse on August 12 2026, where various regions including Europe and North America will get to enjoy the event.
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If you're looking to capture more celestial images, here's How to improve your astrophotography. If you're looking to upgrade your kit, take a look at the best lenses for astrophotography and the best star tracker camera mounts.
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