Sky's Up Summer 2016 | Page 14
Binoculars and Telescopes
Nearly any binocular or telescope
you own would provide satisfactory
views of the total eclipse. Some
observers prefer binoculars because
it gives them the ease of observing
other eclipse phenomena and then
easily go back to totality. Others
like the telescopic view. Do not use
too high a magnification if this is
your first eclipse; remember that the
solar corona can extend several solar
diameters. A mount that tracks will take
away one potentially-distracting factor:
continuing to center the Sun during the
eclipse. Regardless of what equipment
you use, be prepared to quickly put
back on the proper solar filters at the
third contact diamond ring.
Eclipse Imaging
If you decide to photograph the
eclipse, check out your equipment
well in advance, from your system’s
focus to exposure. Focus is one of
the most-critical factor to assure you
take excellent images. Understand
your system’s field of view; you
do not want to miss out coronal
features unless you are planning
high-magnification imaging. Video
will also provide a way to image
the eclipse. Time lapse images of
people – which also show changes in
sunlight – can be fascinating.
Many first time imagers will set their
cameras to auto focus (if using the
camera’s lens instead of a telescopecamera system) and auto exposure.
The camera will ‘look’ for focus and
have difficulties finding the focus.
This is not something you want to
be dealing with during totality. You
should pre-set the camera at manual
focus and infinity; just make certain
the lens infinity setting is actually
infinity.
Seasoned eclipse imagers make
certain they have fully-charged and
reliable batteries and plenty of space
on recording medium. Have extra
batteries and PMC
recording medium
available; you do not want to shoot
so many partial phase photos that
you discharge your battery or use all
available card space. Many prefer to
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PrECisiON MOtiON CONtrOller
image in the highest quality possible
— usually “raw.”
Look up!
Finally make certain you look at
the eclipse! Look for planets and
stars right before and during totality.
Notice the shadow as it approaches
your site. Look for the sunset-sunrise
effect: colors around the horizon.
Look at Baily’s beads and the
diamond ring, the signal that second
contact – and totality – have arrived.
ooo
Dr. Mike Reynolds saw his first total
solar eclipse March 7, 1970. He
has lead numerous expeditions and
observed 18 total solar eclipses – in
18 attempts; observing from land,
sea and air. Reynolds’ observations
and photographs have been published
in numerous places, including
the book Observe Eclipses and
Astronomy. HePMC
is the Association
of Lunar and Planetary Observers’
Eclipse Coordinator and Professor of
Astronomy at Florida State College.
[email protected]
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PrECisiON MOtiON CONtrOller
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PrECisiON MOtiON CONtrOller
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What will you discover?
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