Want To See The 2026 Total Solar Eclipse? An Eclipse Chaser Reveals Her Tricks And Tips

I’ve chased eclipses for years. Everything I’ve learned astir really champion to seizure these celestial phenomena has travel done respective chaotic recreation experiences and nan generosity of different eclipse enthusiasts. Now I’m gearing up to drawback nan coming full star eclipse connected August 12—and I want to stock my secrets pinch you.

On that day, a full star eclipse will expanse crossed nan Northern Hemisphere, walking from Russia to Spain while passing complete parts of Greenland, Iceland and Portugal. A full star eclipse is erstwhile nan satellite passes straight betwixt Earth and nan sun, shrouding our prima successful acheronian and casting nan onshore beneath into shadow. The way of totality is nan area of Earth that will spot nan entirety of nan sun blocked retired by nan moon—read our guide to cognize wherever precisely nan way of totality is for this eclipse, and wherever to expect a partial eclipse.

A full star eclipse is an unthinkable show to behold. Whether you scheme to beryllium successful nan way of totality for this upcoming eclipse aliases a future one, present are a fewer tips and tricks to make judge you person nan champion viewing experience.

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Book early and beryllium fresh to pivot

The person we are to nan eclipse, nan much costly recreation and hotels successful nan way of totality become. The request tin power nan costs and readiness of flights, lodging and rental cars. In different words, if you want to spot an eclipse, it’s champion to benignant retired basal accommodation and proscription early. And effort booking a refundable option. There’s ever a chance that a alteration successful nan forecast will telephone for a caller viewing location, meaning you will request to move.

Tours and events thin to beryllium planned astir eclipses—including by Scientific American. These gatherings tin beryllium a awesome measurement to build organization aliases easiness nan load of logistics, but a circuit isn’t necessary; erstwhile you’re successful nan way of totality, each you person to do is look up.

Ensure you person capable oculus protection

Anytime you scheme to look astatine nan sun, make judge you person nan due eyewear first. Never look astatine nan sun without protective eyewear aliases a star filter.

Eclipse glasses and binoculars should person a information standing called ISO 12312-2. This is an world modular that ensures glasses select 99.99 percent of each sunlight—anything little than this tin lead to oculus damage. It’s communal for fakes to participate nan market, truthful beryllium judge you’re buying from a reputable seller pinch this ISO rating.

The only clip it is safe to look astatine nan sun without oculus protection is during totality—for this eclipse, that will past astir a minute—and not a 2nd longer. If you’re extracurricular nan way of totality—even if you person a 99 percent partial eclipse—you still request protecting eyewear to guarantee you don’t harm your vision.

Watch nan forecast and usage a unreality map

My 2nd full eclipse was successful Argentina successful 2019. I flew into Buenos Aires pinch nan volition of watching from nan city. But a mates of days earlier totality, nan forecast showed cloudy skies connected nan time of nan eclipse. Because I was location to photograph it, I couldn’t chance an uncertain forecast, truthful I compared respective unreality maps to find an area that was projected to person consistently clear skies wrong nan way of totality. The time earlier nan eclipse, I flew crossed nan state to nan metropolis of Río Cuarto and drove into a small, agrarian municipality and managed to drawback a beautiful totality conscionable complete nan horizon.

All that is to say, to beryllium definite that you are getting nan champion viewing experience, it’s adjuvant to do much than cheque nan upwind forecast. Comparing unreality maps specified arsenic those connected Ventusky and AccuWeather tin thief pinpoint areas pinch clear skies during totality.

How to photograph an eclipse

Ahead of nan past full star that crossed North America successful 2024, I made a short tutorial connected really to photograph an eclipse utilizing immoderate instrumentality you have.

This star eclipse has a very different way of totality, but nan tips stay nan same.

Here are a fewer tricks for photographing nan eclipse:

• Make judge you person an due star select for your camera to usage during nan partial eclipse. This will protect your sensor and thief you get nan clearest image.

• Using a tripod is adjuvant for stability. You tin besides adhd a prima locator for an other furniture of precision.

• During totality, you tin return nan star select disconnected your camera.

• Don’t usage autofocus because biology factors (like bugs!) tin disorient nan camera.

Fun fact: If you are utilizing a prima locator to return photos, you tin orient nan locator by pointing your tripod northbound and utilizing an perspective finder and level to tilt up to nan aforesaid perspective arsenic your latitude. (This is for nan Northern Hemisphere. Below nan equator, constituent your tripod southbound and perspective to your degrees of latitude south).

Consider your environment

Eclipses tie a batch of world tourism, and depending connected upwind aliases nan way of totality, location tin beryllium a ample migration of group to a azygous place. The April 2023 full eclipse chiefly crossed complete ocean, truthful only a fewer land countries and a spot astatine nan extremity of Australia knowledgeable totality. Because of this, places specified arsenic Exmouth, Australia, recovered themselves inundated pinch visitors, and their organization jumped from conscionable nether 3,000 to astir 20,000 group for nan event.

If you scheme to recreation location galore different group are going, see bringing basal medications, snacks and toiletries pinch you. This tin beryllium adjuvant should section resources beryllium stretched.

This benignant of recreation tin besides make a batch of waste. When walking a acold distance, see whether location are much environmentally friends modes of transit available. And aft nan eclipse, look for programs to recycle utilized eclipse glasses.

Be present

In summation to looking up, salary attraction to nan situation astir you. During an eclipse, location are biology changes specified arsenic shifting ray and shadows and tin beryllium different animal behavior. Birds whitethorn singing their evening songs early.

While it’s adjuvant to scheme and person contingencies, support your expectations loose. Eclipses are a unit of nature, and moreover if things don’t spell arsenic planned aliases clouds get successful nan way, they are still rather beautiful to experience.

An eclipse is simply a infinitesimal successful abstraction and time. Part of their wonderment is that they can’t beryllium controlled. You can’t revisit them; you tin only beryllium there.