It will be this Wednesday, August 12th, that we can watch a solar eclipse. The rarity of the phenomenon may lead you to capture photographs, but there are certain precautions you must take.
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10/08/2026
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YEAH on Wednesday, August 12th, it will be possible to watch from Portugal a total eclipse of the Sun – the first since 1912. Although only in a small region of our country is it possible to see a complete obstruction of the solar disk, it happens that in the rest of the continental territory it will be possible to observe an obstruction greater than 90%.
This means that – assuming that meteorology collaborates – all the conditions will be met to observe the eclipse. The eclipse will take place late in the afternoon between 6:30 and 8:30. The phenomenon should reach its peak by 7:30 p.m. and this moment should last about 26 seconds.
You may also want to remember the moment by taking photos and videos, but you should take action if you want to prevent permanent damage. Yes, because pointing your phone's camera directly to the sun for long minutes can directly impact the equipment.
Turns out the cell phone camera works like a magnifying glass and concentrates the light that goes through the lens. By letting the light in this way for long minutes and without any protection, the camera module may overheat and damage the sensor. In addition, the high temperature may also cause the device to be closed overnight.
Therefore, it is recommended that you choose (always) to photograph or record videos with your phone from an eclipse with a sunscreen. There are options of sunscreens for professional cameras but if you wish to photograph only with your mobile phone, you can cut off part of the lens with certified glasses to observe the eclipse and paste in front of the camera.
Even with a sunscreen on your phone, there are still some things you should not do under any circumstances while trying to capture photos of the eclipse with your phone. You may know below what you should not do.
What you shouldn't do while shooting or recording eclipse videos:
Do not record for long minutes with your phone always pointing to the sun (not even with the sunscreen);
Do not remove the filter at any time except during the only seconds when the phenomenon reaches its peak where the solar disk is completely blocked;
Do not use binoculars, telescopes or tele-objectives without their being equipped with sunscreens;
Do not use telescopes or binoculars even if you have glasses to observe the eclipse, as the concentration of light may damage the sunscreen;
Do not leave your phone exposed to the sun for long periods of time.