Solar Viewing
Solar eclipses are awesome spectacles of nature that are irresistible to photographers. Besides eclipses, the star at the center of our solar system is an amazing photographic subject—even when it is not being partially or totally blocked by the moon. If you want to photograph a solar eclipse, or just photograph the source of our fragile planet’s warmth and light, you need a
Have the sparkling new images from the James Webb Space Telescope made you, or someone you know, want to explore the cosmos from your backyard? If the answer is “Yes!”, then you have come to the right place because B&H Photo is your one-stop shop for some great, out-of-this-world gifts and gear. Here is a quick guide to just some of the binoculars, telescopes, and other astronomical gear we have for your off-world adventures.
Binoculars
By far, the easiest tool to improve your stargazing is a good pair of
Save the date! On Saturday, October 14, 2023, the Americas will be treated to a spectacular annular solar eclipse. Many of you might remember the 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse that crossed the United States from the Northwest to the Southeast. That was a grandiose total solar eclipse during which the sun was completely obscured by the moon. The October 2023 event is an annular eclipse, producing a “ring of fire” that will cross from the West Coast and head Southeast through Texas.
SAFTEY FIRST!
Do NOT view a solar eclipse with unprotected
Save the date! On Monday, April 8, 2024, North America will be treated to a spectacular total solar eclipse. Many of you remember the 2017 Great American Solar eclipse that crossed the United States from the northwest to the southeast. This solar eclipse will cross the country from the south and head to the northeast.
Eclipse photographs © Todd Vorenkamp
Safety First
Do NOT view a solar eclipse with unprotected eyes. Permanent damage to your vision may occur. Special eclipse viewing glasses are needed to protect your vision. The protection
The recent Transit of Mercury was a pretty big deal for a lot of reasons. I won’t go into too much detail about the actual event (we covered that pretty well already, on the B&H in Space page) but I’m talking about our coverage of the event. B&H partnered with Meade Instruments and the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York to do a morning of community
My car companion for the last two hours, and B&H Social Media Manager, Michael Hollender handles our SUV deftly around a bend in the dry dirt road. As we clear the hill, we see the recently vacated cow pasture below us. Nestled in the desert valley is a colony of dedicated workers frantically erecting stages, scaffolds, and tents of all sizes. The gentle whir of a generator can be heard across the field.
Above photograph © Michael Hollender
When viewing or photographing the sun, or any phase of a partial solar eclipse, remember that you MUST observe safe practices to prevent damage to your eyes and/or equipment (but mostly to your eyes).
NEVER look directly at the sun with your naked eyes. Permanent damage to your eyesight, up to and including blindness, may result.
During a total solar eclipse, eye protection is NOT required during periods of totality when the viewer is in the path of totality. Totality is bookmarked by the “diamond ring effect.” Annular eclipses, even
As a member of the B&H team going on the road trip to Oregon to cover the eclipse (plus the resident uber-nerd amateur astronomer and the guy who’s been writing a lot of articles about the solar eclipse), I’m here with a reminder to grab your kit for the big show on August 21st early, before supplies run out (you don’t want to be waiting for the delivery truck on the day of the eclipse hoping it comes to your door before you miss it). If you need some
As preparations for the upcoming North American Solar Eclipse gain momentum, Meade Instruments now offers a broad line of white-light solar and eclipse-viewing optics called the EclipseView series. Consisting of a variety of devices, this new batch of products is designed to give users a wide range of options for observing our closest star. The entire EclipseView line features ISO-certified film filters that block 99.999% of the intense light from the sun,
When it comes to Earth’s relationship to the sun, a great deal of mystery and misconception abound in our little spot in the solar system. In advance of the upcoming eclipses, happening on October 14, 2023 and April 8, 2024, I’m here to demystify and debunk the fiction and present
A great deal of mystery and misconception surround the topic of observing the sun and solar eclipses, and while you should absolutely not look directly at the sun without proper protection, we here at B&H have got you covered on how to enjoy viewing the sun and, later this year, the solar eclipse. Read on to see what’s available for you, if you’re interested in investing in a dedicated solar telescope.
White Light or Narrow Band?
Right out of the gate, you need to decide: White light or Narrow-band (Targeted) viewing? For specifics about