If you’ve never done it before, or if you want to do it again, here’s what I wish I had known for my first sight of a total solar eclipse:
You may think you’re just looking at the sun, but there are actually three things worth looking at:
I was totally unprepared for the effect of the sun on the world around me.
Three things are a lot to look at. And two and a half minutes is an incredibly short time. Make a plan!
I found the binoculars were especially good right at the end of totality, where I had a glimpse of Bailey’s beads and an even shorter glimpse of the “diamond ring” effect (after which it become too bright to look at the sun).
Right at the beginning of totality might also be a good time to use binoculars, but it may be even better to observe the sudden changes in the world around you—and the reactions of your fellow observers. Some of my fellow observers said that it got dark super-quickly right as totality started. I was looking at the sun and did not notice that dramatic transition. (That’s OK with me; the sun made a pretty dramatic transition, too.)
I was fortunate enough to view the 2017 eclipse from a hilltop in Wyoming. We could see for miles in every direction—or rather, if there hadn’t been so much haze, we could have. I don’t know if the viewing was affected by wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, or if air pollution has now ruined viewing throughout the Lower 48.
That said, the view was spectacular. It got dark where we were, but we could see sunlight glowing on the horizon. A good view to at least some horizon is highly recommended.
If you’re over fifty and have limited focus in your eyes, it’s worth getting glasses focused at infinity. You might have better luck with naked-eye viewing during totality. Also good for stargazing! I myself cannot focus at infinity, so my view of the sun’s corona was a bit blurred.
Don’t leave your camera at home, but do turn it off about five minutes before totality. Use it to document the story of the eclipse-watchers, not to try to photograph the eclipse itself.
If you must disregard this advice, keep in mind the following hard-won lessons:
Don’t bother programming a long exposure in advance. The eclipse is like nothing else, but more than anything else, it is like twilight, not like night. Exposures for night or even for twilight will probably not work. Put your camera on automatic and let it do the best it can.
You can’t produce a decent photograph of the sun; you don’t have the equipment. If you want a photograph of a blobby ring of light in the sky, take it quickly on full auto and get on with your viewing. Time’s a-wasting!
What’s happening in the world might be worth photographing quickly: everything around you will be dim, but there is a magnificent glow in the far distance, especially where there might be distant clouds.
Get emplaced well before the start of partiality. The very beginning of the eclipse, where the edge of the moon just touches the sun, is remarkably exciting! Early on, the moon seems to move quite quickly. My other favorite part of partiality is when the sun looks like a child’s drawing of the moon.
Celestron makes a folding 2x cardboard binocular with built-in solar filter. It’s got scratch protection, and the 2x is just about as satisfying as 7x with a filter. Get these again! Everybody thought they were great. Thanks, Wirecutter!
Also, have eclipse glasses (to view the partial) and regular binoculars (to use during totality). I wouldn’t go higher than 7x; big binoculars are hard to keep steady.
As the sun becomes more than 50% covered and starts to dim, you will start to notice it. People who look at light a lot, like experienced photographers, might notice it before you do. But you’ll definitely notice. Depending on the time of year and the climate, you might also notice the loss of heat from the sun’s rays. That’s cool!
After totality, I stayed through the complete end of the eclipse, about another 80 minutes. Fortunately, I had company (who was taking a time series of the whole thing), but I wouldn’t feel compelled to do this a second time. When the sun starts to feel hot again, it might be time to leave :-)
If you’re in a remote location, don’t try to go home the day of the eclipse. CDOT reported the police counted 34,000 cars going north into Wyoming. Totality ended before noon, but at 6pm, I-25 was still a parking lot, and even the back roads had 40-minute backups. We wound up driving two hours to get back to where we started, and we camped for an extra, unplanned night (with no breakfast the next morning!).
If it’s calm where you are, feel and listen for the “eclipse wind.” Wyoming is so very windy that during the eclipse, we didn’t notice any change.