‘Permanent lifetime damage;’ Tech expert details importance of safely capturing solar eclipse photos

CENTERVILLE — We’re two months out from the total solar eclipse and people across the Miami Valley are getting ready.

As reported by Gabrielle Enright on News Center 7 at 5:30, a technology expert shared the importance of being safe while taking photos or videos of the total solar eclipse.

On April 8th most of the Miami Valley will be in the path of totality for the eclipse, which is expected to last less than four minutes.

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Former Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. Air Force Research Lab, and avid photographer, Brian Kent has experience teaching people how to capture the upcoming phenomenon.

“Being in the shadow of the moon in the daytime is very hard to describe until you experience yourself,” Kent said.

At the Centerville Library, Kent is teaching people of art and science of the solar eclipse.

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“Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate and it’s cloudy, it will be dark enough that the streetlights will come on. If the weather does cooperate, it will be dark enough that the brightest stars will come out,” Kent said.

Kent stressed the importance of protecting your eyes if you want to capture images of the eclipse.

“You burn the retina of your eye if you just stare at the sun. You can start to have an impression in your retina within 30 to 60 seconds. If you use a magnifier like binoculars or a magnifier - it can happen in 1,000th of a second – and it cannot be cured, and you’ll have permanent lifetime damage. There’s a hole in your vision and you’ll never recover,” Kent said.

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Kent said now is the time to plan for viewing the eclipse because if you don’t, you could miss it.

The next solar eclipse will happen in 20 years.

News Center 7 will have everything you need to know about the solar eclipse.

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