Showing posts with label partial eclipse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label partial eclipse. Show all posts

Friday, July 24, 2009

Solar Eclipse

Last July 22nd the longest solar eclipse for this century occurred, although it would be only a partial eclipse from my location. Tsk,tsk, if I were still in Taiwan the maximum obscuration would've been 82%, as it is only around 35-39% of the Sun would be blotted out. However this would be my first eclipse of which I'll be using a digital camera. But after days of spotty weather (sudden drizzle or outright rain) I was not so enthusiastic of setting up the telescope, so I just got out the old solar filter on the 20th and tried some shots just using a 100mm lens. Tests were good so I re-updated it that night, and did further tests the next morning. On eclipse day, I awoke earlier than what I set the alarm to. The weather was great! and I was thinking - I really should've set up the scope. Anyway while waiting for the sun to clear the neighboring building, I did my morning duties. Then went back up to take some test shots, and finalize the camera settings before doing cashier duty. While waiting to pass the cashier's baton I was wishing I had set up the scope OR at the least readied the adapters to attach the DSLR to it. So when I got off, I ran upstairs took some shots, seeing the weather as it is, I decided to GO FOR IT...grabbed the T-ring and an adapter and head on to my uncle's house, set up the scope, pulled out the EP adapter,and tried to screw on what I had - it's too SMALL!! and so there goes my chance to shoot ANYTHING thru prime focus for the first time. Quite a lesson for the unprepared.I had to settle for the 100mm f/2.8 macro and this pic is probably the best of the bunch...



Until next time... :-)