72mm filter for photographing Annular eclipse

M5

Hi all,

not sure if i should be posting in photography or astronomy forum for this query. I would imagine astronomical photographers would reside here mostly so i'll give it a shot...

Can someone recommend a ND filter that would a) Protect my eye and b) protect the sensor but allow reasonable photos of an annular eclipse

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2012.html#SE2012May20A

jfSDAS

hi M5,

I'll be near Mt. Shasta in N. California for the annular eclipse along with some of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers -- I've 2 sisters living in the Golden State so it just soooo happened that an astronomy event coincided with a visit to them :-D

I'm not planning any photography of the event but Fred Espenak has tons of info at http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html -- you can also browse his chapter there from the book "Totality: Eclipses of the Sun". Another good book is Martin Mobberley's "Solar Eclipses and How to Observe Them" published by Springer.

One thing to keep in mind is a) the lower altitude of the Sun from your site in Arizona than what I'll see in N. California, and b) photographing annularity is kind of like photographing a very deep partial eclipse -- there will be a ring of sunlight still visible around the Moon's disk.

It's definitely worth trying for the more unusual images too, such as multiple images of the annular phase projected on to a white sheet or trying for Bailey's Beads at the limb of the Moon. Fred's site shows the image scale you'll expect to get with various size lenses but remember to compensate for the sensor size in your camera. Also, putting on a tele-extender will affect the f-ratio you'll be using.

A hand-held solar filter will let you follow the partial and annular stages visually. Go for the black polymer type rather than the silver mylar because the latter are what I feel are rather "glarey" whereas the former is much sharper a view. Rainbow Symphony are an excellent source and you can check out the details at;

http://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/eclipseshades.html -- hand-held filters and eclipse glasses
http://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/solar-filters.html -- filters that fit over binoculars

The guys in SF said some stores, such as Scientifics Online, are advising there is up to 2 weeks of a delay on eclipse shades such is the interest in the May 20th event. I'm not sure if Rainbow Symphony have a similar back-log. Always check the filter too for any tears or pinholes before using it because they are fragile material.

Clear skies!

john


Partial phase of the annular eclipse on May 31st, 2003 from N. Scotland
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ObLzh0KZAS0pnBm-SLoxEdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Multiple crescents projected during the partial phase of the total solar eclipse on March 29th, 2006 from Turkey
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zObEgt9W1cbIg1M5EvN9w9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

M5

jfSDAS wrote: »

hi M5,

I'll be near Mt. Shasta in N. California for the annular eclipse along with some of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers -- I've 2 sisters living in the Golden State so it just soooo happened that an astronomy event coincided with a visit to them :-D

I'm not planning any photography of the event but Fred Espenak has tons of info at http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html -- you can also browse his chapter there from the book "Totality: Eclipses of the Sun". Another good book is Martin Mobberley's "Solar Eclipses and How to Observe Them" published by Springer.

One thing to keep in mind is a) the lower altitude of the Sun from your site in Arizona than what I'll see in N. California, and b) photographing annularity is kind of like photographing a very deep partial eclipse -- there will be a ring of sunlight still visible around the Moon's disk.

It's definitely worth trying for the more unusual images too, such as multiple images of the annular phase projected on to a white sheet or trying for Bailey's Beads at the limb of the Moon. Fred's site shows the image scale you'll expect to get with various size lenses but remember to compensate for the sensor size in your camera. Also, putting on a tele-extender will affect the f-ratio you'll be using.

A hand-held solar filter will let you follow the partial and annular stages visually. Go for the black polymer type rather than the silver mylar because the latter are what I feel are rather "glarey" whereas the former is much sharper a view. Rainbow Symphony are an excellent source and you can check out the details at;

http://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/eclipseshades.html -- hand-held filters and eclipse glasses
http://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/solar-filters.html -- filters that fit over binoculars

The guys in SF said some stores, such as Scientifics Online, are advising there is up to 2 weeks of a delay on eclipse shades such is the interest in the May 20th event. I'm not sure if Rainbow Symphony have a similar back-log. Always check the filter too for any tears or pinholes before using it because they are fragile material.

Clear skies!

john


Partial phase of the annular eclipse on May 31st, 2003 from N. Scotland
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ObLzh0KZAS0pnBm-SLoxEdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Multiple crescents projected during the partial phase of the total solar eclipse on March 29th, 2006 from Turkey
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zObEgt9W1cbIg1M5EvN9w9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Thanks for the extremely detailed response!

jfSDAS

glad to be of help.

One thing I forgot to say is practice photographing the Sun with the filter a few days in advance of the eclipse -- it's absolutely crucial to do this so focus is perfect.

Auto-focus may cause the camera lens try focus on the filter rather than the Sun so you might have to use manual. Once you've got focus sorted out put a mark on the lens barrel so you'll know what to use the day of the eclipse.

While it's not as much an issue with an annular eclipse (as the light level will still be bright), knowing how to use your camera settings without looking at them is important too. During a total eclipse you'll have a hard job making out the camera settings during totality and need to know your way around the camera -- people tend to get rather irate when someone turns on a torch during totality!

Another thing to remember is that after annularity the partial phases play out in reverse so if a shot is not satisfactory you get a second chance. The partial phases can be interesting too if there's a large sunspot group on the solar disk -- you can capture the Moon's silhouette gradually creeping up on the spot group.

atb,

john

M5

jfSDAS wrote: »

glad to be of help.

One thing I forgot to say is practice photographing the Sun with the filter a few days in advance of the eclipse -- it's absolutely crucial to do this so focus is perfect.

Auto-focus may cause the camera lens try focus on the filter rather than the Sun so you might have to use manual. Once you've got focus sorted out put a mark on the lens barrel so you'll know what to use the day of the eclipse.

While it's not as much an issue with an annular eclipse (as the light level will still be bright), knowing how to use your camera settings without looking at them is important too. During a total eclipse you'll have a hard job making out the camera settings during totality and need to know your way around the camera -- people tend to get rather irate when someone turns on a torch during totality!

Another thing to remember is that after annularity the partial phases play out in reverse so if a shot is not satisfactory you get a second chance. The partial phases can be interesting too if there's a large sunspot group on the solar disk -- you can capture the Moon's silhouette gradually creeping up on the spot group.

atb,

john

Yeah, i plan to rent a 300 or a 400mm lens (depending on time of day and what i want in shot) and will practice the day before! I believe we have 5mins 35 seconds of full coverage in ~Chinle az. I need to look into the expected start and finish times though. Weather is pretty dependable so hoping we dont get unlucky!

M5

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