key: cord-0060883-88nnv3w2
authors: Redfern, Gregory I.
title: Eclipses
date: 2020-10-30
journal: Astrophotography is Easy!
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-45943-7_14
sha: 6aa3f609af1261711dd710086773b5b294869c21
doc_id: 60883
cord_uid: 88nnv3w2

Now that we have discussed the Sun and Moon, we can talk about solar and lunar eclipses. In this chapter you will learn the ins and outs of how to view and photograph eclipses. Use of “eclipses” in this chapter will refer to both lunar and solar eclipses unless otherwise specified.

interact with your physical surroundings and your horizon as you view and photograph the event over time.

Solar eclipses take place when the new Moon passes between the Sun and Earth and its shadow falls upon the Earth's surface. Solar eclipses can be total, annular, hybrid (also known as annular-total eclipses due to each event occurring) or partial.

Lunar eclipses take place when Earth passes between the Sun and the full Moon and its shadow falls upon the Moon's surface. Lunar eclipses can be total, partial or penumbral.

We will discuss each of these eclipses in detail later in the chapter. Both the Moon and the Earth project their shadows into space as a result of being in constant sunlight. Because the Moon is a smaller spherical body than Earth, its shadow is smaller and shorter than Earth's. The Moon and Earth's shadows have two components known as the penumbra, the lighter outer shadow, and the umbra, the dark inner shadow.

The orbit of the Moon is inclined 5 degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun. If the Moon were perfectly aligned with the Earth's orbit, each lunar month a total, annular or hybrid solar eclipse would occur at new Moon, followed two weeks later by a total lunar eclipse at full Moon. Every year there are a variety of solar and lunar eclipses that take place within two weeks of each other. Your references will give you the necessary dates and detail in order to plan accordingly.

Eclipse maps for each eclipse event are published well in advance and are mandatory reading. See Chapter 23 for further resources on how to learn how to read and interpret these maps. They will provide essentials such as eclipse details, obscuration percentage and times of key eclipse events for your specified location.

For solar eclipses other than partial solar eclipses, NASA and EclipseWise. com publish interactive Google maps, which require Internet access to use. Input your specified location to see what the eclipse will look like along with timing and positioning in the sky for key eclipse events. NASA also provides the Javascript Solar Eclipse Explorer, which computes solar eclipse details for a specified city or longitude-latitude.

For lunar eclipses, information will be published by NASA that shows the involved hemisphere -essentially the night side of Earth -with timing for eclipse events.

The first determiner for viewing an eclipse is, most obviously, the geographical location of the eclipse and where can it be seen? Lunar eclipses allow an entire hemisphere to see at least some portion of the event. Solar eclipses are much more constrained in geographical coverage. You may be lucky enough to have an eclipse occur close to home, but most often, solar eclipses probably will involve some traveling.

The author has used Camera Only and Camera and Telescope modes for lunar eclipses and partial/annular solar eclipses that were close to home, where it wasn't a major logistics issue to transport a telescope. The annular eclipse was Camera and Telescope mode via a multi-state road trip from Virginia to Erie, Pennsylvania and back in one day! For at-sea and longdistance eclipses, it was Camera Only mode all the way.

If you decide to go to a solar eclipse, how you get there largely determines what you will take with you. If you can travel by your own car you may decide to take all of your gear, including your telescope. Some total solar eclipse chasers invest in a small telescope, usually a small refractor, to take with them. These "stowaway telescopes" are small enough to carry aboard an aircraft in overhead bin stowage and provide excellent visual and photographic capabilities in Camera and Telescope mode.

For the astrophotographer/total solar eclipse chaser novice, simplicity is key. No matter how long totality lasts, it will be over before you know it. Establishing an eclipse plan (later in this chapter), sticking to it and using one mode only whether it be a single lens and camera setup (Camera Only mode) or one Camera and Telescope method (prime focus is highly recommended) will give you the highest chance of getting good astropics. More on mode recommendations in just a bit.

People, including the author, travel the world over to see total solar eclipses. The author has been on cruise ships to see a total solar eclipse and also saw a 95+% partial solar eclipse at sea, and has also traveled to Cookesville, Tennessee and Chile for total solar eclipses. The author was going to sea for the December 2020 total solar eclipse off of Argentina but cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns. The author has enjoyed four lunar eclipses at sea and quite a few on land.

Years in advance of a major solar eclipse event, tour and travel companies will advertise opportunities to take part in the experience. The author has partaken in several of these both as a participant and staff member. They do cost money but are well worth it if you can afford it, as logistics like travel, food, housing, transportation and the eclipse itself are all taken care of. Plus, the experience of being with other like-minded individuals is a

The author has observed and photographed three total solar eclipses to date, one at sea and two on land. In addition to these, the author has also observed and photographed one annular eclipse and about a dozen partial solar eclipses over the decades. The camera setup for each of these solar eclipse events had a safe glass solar filter that covered the front/aperture of the camera lens and/or telescope being used.

For the solar eclipse events prior to the digital photography era, the author used a 35-mm single lens reflex (SLR) film camera with a 50-mm lens, and in addition for the at-sea total solar eclipse, an 8-mm tape video wonderful addition. The author previously served as a staff member with Scientific Expeditions-Sky and Telescope for a 1998 total solar eclipse cruise as the youth coordinator. The author has also travelled as a paying customer with Insight Cruises-Sky and Telescope "December 2010 Total Lunar Eclipse and Geminids Cruise" and Sky and Telescope "July 2019 Total Solar Eclipse." Both companies are well known and established, and they are excellent in value and the quality of their offerings and service. They are highly recommended as part of your search for upcoming astrotourism events. recorder. Both were used successfully and handheld for the 1998 total solar eclipse at sea.

For the other solar eclipse events, the film SLR was attached to various telescopes that had a proper glass solar filter attached to the front/aperture of the telescope which was used in prime focus mode. A Nikon D5000 DSLR was used with a 50-mm lens for an at-sea deep partial eclipse that was imaged using the pinhole projection method, which we will discuss later in the chapter.

A Nikon D810a with 200 to 500-mm f/3.5-f/5.6 focal length zoom telephoto lens and 1.7x tele-extender with a proper glass solar filter on the front of the lens was mounted on a telescope mount for one total solar eclipse 500 miles (one way) from the author's residence, while a regular camera tripod with this same camera and just the telephoto lens was used for the Chile total solar eclipse. In addition, an iPhone 6s took astropics during totality for both total solar eclipses on land.

As you can see, distance can determine to a large part your eclipse imaging setup.

2013 while at sea was the author's first use of a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) -a Nikon D5000 DX with various DX lenses -to photograph a solar eclipse. This was during a 95+% partial solar eclipse that was very close to the centerline for a rare hybrid eclipse. Having no solar filter or solar eclipse glasses, the author photographed pinhole projection images (see more below) of the eclipse using the ship's white painted superstructure as the projection surface.

If for whatever reason you find yourself at a solar eclipse without a solar filter and/or solar eclipse glasses, there is a very simple and safe technique for viewing solar eclipses, called "pinhole projection." All that is required is a stiff 3x5 card although just a sheet of paper will work. You make a small hole using a pencil or pen in the card or paper. Position yourself so that your back is towards the Sun. Never look directly through the pinhole at the Sun! Hold the card/paper in front of you with the Sun behind you. Move the card/ paper so that the Sun's projected image becomes clearly visible on a flat surface like a wall. You will see the eclipsed Sun quite nicely. You can take a pic of the image with your other hand.

See "Pinhole Projection" in Chapter 23. The 2017 and 2019 total solar eclipses were travel expeditions to Cookeville, TN and La Serena, Chile, respectively. For logistical convenience and desired photographic coverage, the author used Camera Only mode for these events. You will learn what both modes entail for observing and photographing eclipses so you can decide how best to proceed.

You read about solar safety in Chapter 12, of this book and we will expound upon that with the following discussion on solar eclipse safety.

Regarding solar eclipses, it is mandatory that you practice solar eclipse safety for each and every solar eclipse regardless of the type of event. You only have two eyes, and failure to follow safe solar eclipse viewing and solar eclipse photography procedures may cause permanent eye damage and ruin your camera. You and you alone are responsible for practicing proper solar eclipse safety procedures.

There is little information available on how to safely photograph solar eclipses using tablets. The author recommends using a tablet only during totality of a total solar eclipse in Camera Only Mode. You should be able to photograph the Sun's corona and sky color and/or the surrounding landscape in the Moon's umbra. Use the Smartphone references in Chapter 23 as a guide. If you undertake any other solar eclipse photography with your tablet, you do so at your own risk and will likely damage your tablet's camera. Don't do it.

The best and safest cameras to use for photographing solar eclipses are either a DSLR with live view or mirrorless CSC with EVF. Their features, especially if they have video and interchangeable lenses, make them perfect for safe solar eclipse photography in Camera Only and Camera and Telescope modes. It is highly recommended that you use only these cameras. Use of other camera types is possible, but you do so at your own risk. The following solar eclipse photographic sequences are for DSLR and CSC mirrorless with EVF camera types only.

Make sure you read and then print out the solar eclipse safety links for this chapter that are in Chapter 23. Remember to take these printouts with you so you have them in the field, as you may not be able to access the Internet. If you find any inoperative or removed link(s), access:

• https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html • https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety • https://www.nasa.gov/content/eye-safety-during-a-total-solar-eclipse If you do not understand something or have questions, contact an appropriate organization for further clarification before trying to view or photograph a solar eclipse event yourself.

Eyes Only:

• Except during totality, never look at any solar eclipse unless you are wearing approved and certified solar viewing glasses, also known as solar eclipse glasses, with certification ISO 12312-2. • Only during the period of solar eclipse totality when the Moon completely covers the Sun can you remove your solar eclipse glasses. You must put them back on when totality ends. • Follow all manufacturer guidelines and procedures for your solar eclipse glasses, including how to check them before each use. • Solar eclipse glasses are for your eyes only and are never to be used with optics or for any other purpose. • As an extra safety precaution, do not stare at a solar eclipse for long periods through your approved and certified solar eclipse glasses. Look through them briefly for a few seconds and then look away. This is done in case of holes or other imperfections in your solar eclipse glasses that might have been missed when you inspected them before use. • Never leave your solar eclipse glasses unattended in order to prevent someone, especially children, from damaging or attempting to look through them.

Note that "approved" solar eclipse glasses and solar filters means that they were purchased from a dealer recommended by the American Astronomical Society (AAS). "Certified" solar eclipse glasses meet the required ISO 12312-2 standard. "Certified" solar filters means that an AAS recommended solar filter dealer sells solar filters manufactured to industry standards. During the 2017 "Great American Solar Eclipse," solar eclipse glasses were being sold falsely as ISO 12312-2, which became a major safety concern.

A link to the AAS list of reputable vendors for purchasing approved and certified ISO 12312-2 solar eclipse glasses and solar filters for your camera, lenses, telescope, telescope finder scope, binoculars and any other optical aids has been provided in Chapter 23.

• Except during totality*, never photograph or view with a camera any solar eclipse unless you have a safe solar filter that properly fits the front of the lens and if applicable, viewfinder you are using that was bought from a dealer recommended by the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

• Only during totality* when the Moon completely covers the Sun can you remove the solar filter on the front of your lens and if applicable, viewfinder. You must put them back on when totality* ends. • Except during totality, never photograph or look at a solar eclipse through a viewfinder if your camera lacks through-the-lens viewing unless you have over the front of the viewfinder (sunward-facing side) a properly fitting safe solar filter bought from a dealer recommended by the American Astronomical Society (AAS).The viewfinders of digital single lens reflex cameras (DSLRs), film single lens reflex cameras (SLRs) and mirrorless CSCs with electronic viewfinders (EVFs) are made safe by an approved and certified solar filter on the front of the lens. • If available, use live view only and cover or close your viewfinder. • Follow all manufacturer guidelines and procedures for your solar eclipse filter(s) including how to check them before each use. • As an extra safety precaution, do not stare at a solar eclipse for long periods through your camera's viewfinder unless it is an EVF. Look through it briefly for a few seconds and then look away. This is done in case of holes or other imperfections in your solar filter that might have been missed when you inspected them before use. • Never leave your equipment unattended in order to prevent someone, especially children, from damaging or attempting to look through it.

• Except during totality*, never photograph or view any solar eclipse unless you have a safe solar filter that properly fits the front/aperture of the telescope and/or telescope finder scope you are using that was bought from a dealer recommended by the American Astronomical Society (AAS). • Except during totality, never photograph or look at a solar eclipse through a telescope finder scope unless you have a safe solar filter for the front/ aperture of the telescope finder scope bought from a dealer recommended by the American Astronomical Society (AAS). If you do not have a solar filter for the telescope finder scope, make sure it is covered and secured so that no sunlight can enter. • Only during the period of solar eclipse totality when the Moon completely covers the Sun can you remove the solar filter on the front of your telescope* and/or telescope finder scope. You must put them back on when totality ends*. • If using a camera attached to your telescope, use your camera's live view function or computer screen viewing if available and cover or close your viewfinder.

• Follow all manufacturer guidelines and procedures for your solar eclipse filter(s), including how to check them before each use. • As an extra safety precaution, do not stare at a solar eclipse for long periods visually or through your camera's viewfinder, unless it is an EVF, while using the telescope and telescope finder scope with a safe solar filter on each. Look briefly for a few seconds and then look away. This is done in case of holes or other imperfections in your solar filter that might have been missed when you inspected them before use. • Never leave your telescope unattended in order to prevent someone, especially children, from damaging or attempting to look through it.

Binoculars or Other Optical Aids:

• Except during totality, never photograph or view any solar eclipse unless you have a safe solar filter that properly fits the front/aperture of the binoculars (requires one solar filter for each lens), spotting scope or some other optical aid you are using that was bought from a dealer recommended by the American Astronomical Society (AAS). • Only during the period of solar eclipse totality when the Moon completely covers the Sun can you remove the solar filter on the front of your binoculars or optical aid. You must put it back on when totality ends. • Follow all manufacturer guidelines and procedures including how to check the solar filter(s) before each use. • As an extra safety precaution, do not stare at a solar eclipse for long periods through your binoculars or optical aid. Look briefly for a few seconds and then look away. This is done in case of holes or other imperfections in your solar filter that might have been missed when you inspected them before use. • Never leave your telescope unattended in order to prevent someone, especially children, from damaging or attempting to look through it.

All solar eclipses begin with First Contact, also known as C1, when the Moon covers the very first bit of the Sun's disk to begin the partial solar eclipse phase. What we see is the Moon's outer shadow, the penumbra, covering a percentage of the Sun as determined by the circumstances for each solar eclipse event and its solar eclipse type. This C1 partial solar eclipse phase that occurs during each type of solar eclipse requires use of approved and certified solar eclipse glasses for your eyes, solar filters on the front of all camera lenses, non-through-the lens camera viewfinders, telescopes, telescope finders and optical aids.

For total solar eclipses, hybrid solar eclipses and annular solar eclipses, Second Contact, also known as C2, is the moment that totality (when the Moon completely covers the Sun) or annularity (when the Moon is completely within the solar disk to form an annulus or ring) begins. Only during totality can solar eclipse glasses and solar filters* be removed. During annularity and the entire annular solar eclipse, solar eclipse glasses and solar filters must be used.

For total solar eclipses, hybrid solar eclipses and annular solar eclipses, Third Contact, also known as C3, is the moment that totality or annularity ends. When totality ends, solar eclipse glasses and solar filters* must be in place for the following partial eclipse phase. Again, during the entire annular eclipse event, solar eclipse glasses and solar filters remain in place.

All solar eclipses end with Last Contact, also known as C4, when the Moon uncovers the last bit of the Sun's disk to end the partial eclipse phase and the solar eclipse event. Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters must be in place until you stop looking at the Sun with your eyes and move your camera and/or telescope completely off of the Sun.

Here are some of the major data points that are provided by solar eclipse maps. While this list is not all-encompassing, it does provide you with a solid orientation of what a solar eclipse map entails:

• A diagram of Earth centered on the specific geographical region of visibility where the eclipse can be seen. This diagram will encompass the entire viewing area. • The type of eclipse event -partial, annular, total, hybrid -and Universal Date and time for each major eclipse event, tailored to the type of eclipse taking place. • The beginning and ending geographical points; the upper and lower limits of the partial eclipse phase; the path of totality and/or annularity. Once again, the type of eclipse that is occurring will determine the makeup of the solar eclipse map. • Area of eclipse magnitude, which is the fraction of the Sun's diameter occulted by the Moon expressed as a percentage. • Area of eclipse obscuration, which is the fraction of the Sun's area covered by the Moon, also expressed as a percentage. • A Google Map interactive feature that allows you to click on a position to see particulars of the eclipse at that location.

Prior to solar eclipse day, you need to have practiced inspecting and using (placing, removing and focusing with) your solar filter(s) according to the manufacturer's instructions. This would include doing so for each solar filter for your camera, camera viewfinder if required, lenses, telescope, telescope finder scope and optical aids. Always insure that your solar filter(s) are properly placed by checking them with a slight tug. A safe practice is to check them often for proper placement especially if windy conditions are present. If wind is an issue, use tape to secure them. ONLY practice removing solar filters AWAY from the Sun! Remember, as an added solar filter eye safety precaution in case of undetected pinholes or scratches, do not to look at the Sun for long periods of time through your camera's viewfinder, telescope, telescope finder scope, optical aid(s) or solar glasses. Instead, look just a few seconds at a time to be solar safe.

In Camera Only mode, when placing and removing a solar filter, care must be taken to not move the focus of a lens or move your setup off of the Sun. With sufficient practice this can be achieved.

In Camera and Telescope mode, practice placing and removing a solar filter as well. You probably won't change the focus of your setup but you might move your telescope, which you do not want to do when totality is upon you.

If you have not practiced previously to the eclipse event, point your setup, be it Camera Only and/or Camera and Telescope, on the opposite side of the sky away from the Sun and try removing and placing your solar filter(s). This practice should help you avoid changing lens focus and also changing sky positioning due to "on and off" solar filter movements.

In both modes it is best to achieve a precise focus before totality starts as you do not want to waste precious totality seconds doing so. Focusing on a sunspot and/or the "horns" of the Moon as the partial solar eclipse deepens will help. If your camera has live view with a zoom in feature, use it to try to achieve a sharp focus.

The author has found, as has many other "umbraphiles" (people who have experienced totality), that getting sharp focus is the most difficult part of the total solar eclipse. It pays to recheck that focus for a few seconds at totality's start before exposing. The author was off just a hair in focus in 2017 and was better in 2019. Take some astropics well before totality to check the focus. Use your live view and zoom if they are available to closely check focus. It helps immensely to block out the surrounding bright sunlight to see your camera's LCD screen or computer display. You can use a dark cloth-hood covering your camera and head to do this. The author uses an old, dark-colored cotton shirt to place over the camera and his head to improve the view. It is light and easily taken on and off. You might look goofy but it works to get better focus.

After getting your best focus in Camera Only mode, check to see where the "Infinity" symbol is on the lens focus ring and maybe even mark it with a small piece of tape in case you need to refocus. Some lenses may not line up precisely with their infinity marks so having this marked can help.

Depending on your lens and eclipse astropic sequence, you may want to put a piece of black electrical tape (leaves no residue and is easily removed) partially around the lens focus ring to avoid any change in focus especially during totality. Applying tape to a telephoto zoom ring to help lock it in at a specified focal length can be useful unless you will be working the zoom lens during the solar eclipse. Using the tape as described might help you keep focus or regain it quickly if focus is lost when removing or replacing your solar filter.

You will want to capture the inner and outer corona, any prominences present and perhaps even the disk of the New Moon. This will require changing your exposure setting. Use the following astropics as beginning points in your eclipse plan and SAAS. You want to take as many exposures as you can for each feature to maximize getting good pics.

Consider taking an exposure sequence, which some cameras can do. This involves setting a pre-determined number of exposures at different exposure settings, which the camera then executes automatically when the cable release or exposure button is pressed. This is considered an advanced method, but nevertheless you may want to consider it. Check your camera's user manual to see if it is an option.

Perhaps the most dramatic astronomical occurrence one can ever see and photograph is a total solar eclipse. In this event the New Moon moves across the face of the Sun for hours, covering more and more of the Sun's disk. For total solar eclipse watchers this can seem to take forever and does entail a lengthy period of time.

How long the Sun remains totally eclipsed can last from literally a fraction of a second to a maximum time of about 7.5 minutes. Every location on the Earth's surface that lies within the precisely defined path of totality (which is the actual movement of the Moon's dark umbra shadow across the Earth) will have a specified length of totality that will last for seconds and/or minutes.

An observer's time of totality experienced will thus depend on where they are within this path. Being on the center line of the path of totality will provide a longer duration of totality. There is only one specific point on the path of totality that will experience the greatest duration of totality, which is provided in the solar eclipse map data and eclipse illustration.

If your observing location is within the totality upper limit line or the totality lower limit line, which is positioned north or south respectively of the totality center line, your time of totality will be reduced. Observers located beyond the path of totality and within the geographical area of the solar eclipse map will experience a partial solar eclipse. The solar eclipse map will show areas experiencing the highest percentage, 90+%, of the Sun eclipsed just outside the path of totality, with ever-decreasing amounts occurring the farther away you are either above or below the path of totality.

Maximizing the time of totality available requires efficiency and discipline, which an eclipse plan can help you achieve. We will discuss that later in this chapter.

For your initial settings for Camera Only mode, total solar eclipse pictures that were taken at Cookeville, TN on August 21, 2017 and Casa Molle, Elqui Valley, Chile with the Sky and Telescope tour group on July 2, 2019 are provided. The camera setup in TN was a Nikon D810a FX DSLR with a 200-500mm f/3.5-5.6 telephoto zoom lens with 1.7x teleextender on a telescope mount. For Chile it was a Nikon D810a FX DSLR with a 200-500-mm f/3.5-5.6 telephoto zoom lens on a camera tripod with gimbal head. An approved glass solar filter was used to cover the front of the lens.

The author has no total solar eclipse Camera and Telescope mode astropics. The photographic sequence is the same for both modes, however. Resources for total solar eclipse Camera and Telescope mode recommended exposure settings can be found in Chapter 23.

The entire partial solar eclipse that occurs before totality, C1 to C2, and after totality, C3 to C4, requires an approved and certified properly sized solar filter on the front of each camera lens and, if required, camera viewfinder, and telescope/telescope finder/optical aids used. Use approved and certified ISO 12312-2 solar eclipse glasses for your eyes only. 

In the seconds before C2, the remaining crescent of the Sun shrinks ever smaller and the Sun's corona begins to appear around the Moon. At approximately 15 to 20 seconds before totality, a brilliant flash of sunlight along with the emerging corona causes the "Diamond Ring." It is so named as this partial eclipse event really looks like a bright diamond ring in the rapidly darkening sky.

The Diamond Ring repeats a few seconds after totality ends, at C3. The Author has no pics of the first Diamond Ring due to watching and refers you to Figure 14 .14 to view a pic of this second Diamond Ring. Camera settings would be the same for both events. 

After the Diamond Ring and Baily's Beads have occurred, the Sun becomes totally eclipsed by the Moon and C2 totality begins. Only during totality, when the Sun is completely covered by the Moon, can all solar filters and solar eclipse glasses be removed. Keep them readily available for quick use when totality ends. At C2 totality, observers are physically in the Moon's dark inner shadow known as the umbra, and the Sun's glorious corona becomes visible in its entirety. If this is your first totality experience, congratulations -you are now an umbraphile!

The author recommends continuing to use live view during C2. All of the following images were taken using live view. At mid-totality, you may want to try and photograph the New Moon itself. This requires a longer exposure to image the Earthshine that might be visible. To image this was the author's prime photographic objective for the 2019 Chile solar eclipse. As totality progresses towards C3, the end of totality, you will begin to notice a brightening along the lunar limb opposite to where you might have seen the first Diamond Ring and Baily's Beads. This signifies that totality is ending, and you must put on your solar eclipse glasses and all solar filters* immediately to be solar eclipse safe.

Just seconds after C3, Baily's Beads and the Diamond Ring will appear again. filter over the front of the camera lens or if applicable camera viewfinder, or telescope front/aperture, you will injure your eyes.

All of the following images were taken using Live View.

Only after you have placed a solar filter over the front of your viewfinder if applicable, lens or front/aperture of your telescope may you resume using your camera's viewfinder looking for seconds at a time as has been stated previously. The author recommends keeping the viewfinder closed and using live view only or computer screen (if applicable) as an extra solar safety precaution. 

At C4, the second partial solar eclipse phase and the total solar eclipse event end with the Moon moving completely off the Sun. Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters can be removed when you stop looking at the Sun and you have moved your camera, optical aids and/or telescope completely off of the Sun.

Annular solar eclipses are comprised of partial eclipse phases at C1 to C2 and C3 to C4. C2 to C3 is annularity, when the Moon is completely positioned within the Sun's disk and forms a ring or annulus.

Eyes Only: • For safe annular solar eclipse viewing, solar eclipse glasses are required for the entire annular solar eclipse event, C1 to C4.

Optical Aids:

• Solar eclipse filters are required over the front lenses of your optical aids during the entire annular solar eclipse event, C1 to C4.

For Camera Only and Camera and Telescope Modes:

• For the entire annular solar eclipse event, C1 to C4, an approved and certified solar filter for the front of your camera lens, camera viewfinder if required, telescope and telescope finder scope is required. • For extra safety, it is recommended that the camera viewfinder be closed or capped and live view or computer screen if applicable only be used. The annular solar eclipse map is essentially identical to a total solar eclipse map. The path of annularity will be provided along with the percentages of partial eclipse experienced within the geographical region of the annular eclipse.

We see an annular solar eclipse when the new Moon is at or near apogee, its farthest distance from Earth during the lunar month. The annular solar eclipse begins as a partial solar eclipse -C1 -with the Moon covering more and more of the Sun as it moves across the solar disk.

Because the Moon is at apogee and has a smaller disk size in the sky compared to the Sun's, it cannot totally eclipse the Sun. The Moon's dark umbra shadow is simply too far away from Earth's surface. As a result, observers experience the Moon's antumbra, the shadow that extends beyond the Moon's. At C2, the start of the annular eclipse, the Sun appears as an extremely brilliant ring -an annulus -around the Moon.

Because the Sun is not totally eclipsed, the corona and prominences will not be visible in an annular eclipse. Baily's Beads may be visible just before and after annularity, so be on the lookout. 

Eyes Only: • For safe annular solar eclipse viewing, solar eclipse glasses are required for the entire annular solar eclipse event, C1 to C4.

Optical Aids:

• For safe annular solar eclipse viewing, solar eclipse filters are required over the front lenses of your optical aids during the entire annular solar eclipse event, C1 to C4.

For Camera Only and Camera and Telescope Modes:

• Do not remove your solar filter on the front of your camera's viewfinder if applicable, lens or the front/aperture of your telescope to photograph Baily's Beads! It must stay on for the entire annular eclipse. • During annularity, the Sun is still dangerously bright, and without a solar filter in place your camera could be severely damaged and even catch fire. • Without a solar filter in place, your eyes will be injured if your viewfinder is not closed and you accidentally look through the viewfinder.

The shutter speed for Baily's Beads, if they are present, will be different from those of a total solar eclipse, as your solar filter will be on the front of your camera's lens or over the front/aperture of your telescope. Additionally, the Sun won't be totally eclipsed and will therefore be brighter. Start with the settings from Figure 14 .4 and SAAS.

Annularity is the amount of time the Moon is completely within the disk of the Sun and can last from a fraction of a second to a maximum time of 12 minutes, 29 seconds. When annularity finishes at C3, a partial solar eclipse will be visible once again with the Moon moving off the disk of the Sun at C4, ending the annular eclipse. Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters can be removed when you stop looking at the Sun and you have moved your camera and/or telescope completely off of the Sun.

Like a total solar eclipse, the entire annular eclipse sequence can take several hours from start to finish.

Very rare hybrid solar eclipses are also described as annular-total eclipses. This is because a hybrid eclipse can appear as an annular eclipse and total eclipse at different locations along the hybrid eclipse's path. Hybrid eclipses occur when Earth's curvature brings locations that are in the path of annularity-totality into the Moon's umbra and antumbra shadows. As with total and annular eclipses, the entire C1 to C4 sequence may take several hours from start to finish.

Hybrid solar eclipse maps will look the same as those for total and annular eclipses.

As described by NASA and AAS, hybrid solar eclipses at C2 begin as an annular eclipse, become a total eclipse for a brief time, and then revert back to an annular eclipse before it ends at C3. On rare occasions, a hybrid eclipse at C2 may begin as an annular eclipse and end as a total eclipse, or vice versa.

Note that extreme caution has to be observed in a hybrid solar eclipse. This is due to the rapid transition from totality to annularity or vice versa that can occur along the eclipse path. Annularity requires the use of approved and certified solar eclipse glasses with certification ISO 12312-2 for your eyes and approved and certified solar filters for the front of each of your camera's lenses, camera viewfinder if required, telescope, telescope finder scope and optical aids. This transition may occur very quickly, so your solar eclipse glasses and solar filters must be readily accessible for use.

You definitely want your viewfinder closed or capped so that no light can come through, and use live view, computer screen if applicable or EVF for the entire eclipse.

In a hybrid solar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse begins at C1, requiring an approved and certified solar filter for the front of your camera lens, camera viewfinder if required, telescope, telescope finder scope and each optical aid used in addition to approved and certified ISO 12312-2 solar eclipse glasses for your eyes.

At C2, annularity-totality, there may be a quick transition involved where the observer will see totality and annularity depending on your location. Annularity requires approved and certified solar eclipse glasses with certification ISO 12312-2 for your eyes and approved and certified solar filters for the front of each of your camera's lenses, camera viewfinder if required, telescope, telescope finder scope and optical aids for viewing the annular eclipse phase.

After totality-annularity ends at C3, a partial solar eclipse unfolds until C4, when the Moon has completely moved off the disk of the Sun thus ending the hybrid solar eclipse. Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters can be removed when you stop looking at the Sun and you have moved your camera and/or telescope completely off of the Sun. The next hybrid solar eclipse takes place on April 20, 2023. Sky & Telescope magazine, the Observer's Handbook, NASA.gov and AAS.org will likely have solar eclipse safety guidance for safely viewing and photographing this rare type of eclipse. Use these resources to be safe.

As stated by EclipseWise.com, http://www.eclipsewise.com/solar/ SEprime/2001-2100/SE2023Apr20Hprime.html, "The solar eclipse of 2023 Apr 20 is one of the rare hybrid solar eclipses. In this particular case the eclipse path starts out as annular. Further down the track it changes to total and then back to annular before the path ends."

Your observing location will determine the eclipse sequence you will experience and therefore dictate how to observe and photograph it. EclipseWise.com and other references will have the details of the hybrid eclipse available for cities and geographic locations within the eclipse path. You will be able to view listed cities as well as click on a location and/or enter coordinates to see eclipse details.

If you do not completely understand what you need to do to be hybrid solar eclipse safe, contact an appropriate organization.

The last type of solar eclipse is a partial solar eclipse, and it is the most common type. A partial solar eclipse map will be the same as the other solar eclipse maps, except it will not have a path of totality or annularity, as there is none. The partial eclipse map will show the geographic area of partial eclipse visibility marked by lines showing the percentage of the Sun eclipsed for observers located within these boundaries. Partial solar eclipses can vary from a very small percentage of the Sun being eclipsed to covering the majority of the Sun. No corona or prominences will be visible.

For the entire partial solar eclipse, C1 to C4, photographing and viewing require an approved and certified solar filter for the front of your camera lens, camera viewfinder if required, telescope, telescope finder scope and each optical aid used in addition to approved and certified ISO 12312-2 solar eclipse glasses for your eyes. These must remain in place for solar eclipse safety during the entire eclipse, as there is no totality and the Sun will remain dangerously bright. Use the initial camera settings from Figure 14 .4 for a start and SAAS to photograph the partial eclipse. Solar eclipse glasses and solar filters can be removed when you stop looking at the Sun and you have moved your camera and/or telescope completely off of the Sun.

You definitely want your viewfinder closed or capped so that no light can come through, and use live view, computer screen if applicable or EVF for the entire eclipse.

Put bluntly, nothing beats a modern DSLR camera for safely taking solar eclipse astropics in Camera Only and Camera and Telescope modes. CSC cameras should perform well also.

Partial and annular eclipses afford the luxury of time to take astropics using other camera types but aren't recommended due to solar safety concerns and their limitations. But during totality, time is of the essence, and the ability to use live view and instant SAAS of individual exposures will result in memorable astropics of the event. CSC cameras should be capable as well, but the author has no experience with these cameras.

For solar eclipse safety, all other camera types should only be used in Camera Only mode during totality of a total solar eclipse.

The author bases this candid assessment on having used a DSLR versus a film SLR, video tape recorder and smartphone for numerous solar eclipses. Owners of smartphones and tablet/iPad users should refer to the Chapter 23 section on "Solar eclipse -Smartphone Photography."

Users of other camera types -film and pocket cameras -can use the settings provided in this chapter for totality as a starting point for your total solar eclipse images and SAAS.

With a video-capable DSLR using an approved and certified solar filter for your lens(es) and/or telescope, it is possible to switch from video recording to individual shots and vice versa. Depending on your software, it is possible to extract and process individual frames from the video. This may be something you want to consider.

For a solar eclipse event, you have to decide in advance precisely what you want to photograph. Do you want to concentrate on the ghostly corona -the Sun's million-degree outer atmosphere -or a wide view of the eclipsed Sun, stars and planets that may be visible? Because totality is so fleeting, you do not want to spend time changing lenses and refocusing. Thus, one lens for the solar eclipse event is highly recommended. Remember too that each lens needs an approved and certified solar filter of proper size on the front of each lens. Annularity and partial solar eclipses will be far more leisurely in terms of time available to photograph, as compared to totality.

To be able to photograph the solar disk, corona and prominences in any detail, a long focal-length lens is needed. For first-time eclipse (lunar and solar) astrophotographers, the author strongly recommends a zoom telephoto to get the most flexibility and capability. The use of a 200 to 500-mm telephoto zoom lens for two total solar eclipse events has proven to be very capable. For the 2017 total solar eclipse, a 1.7x tele-extender for 850-mm focal length was used and in 2019 just the 200 to 500 mm was used. Cropping the 2019 images provided very satisfactory results.

For both events, the 200 to 500 mm allowed for close in astropics of the inner and outer corona, prominences, Baily's Beads, the Diamond Ring and in 2019 Earthshine on the face of the New Moon. Being able to zoom in and out was extremely valuable in capturing different views of the totally eclipsed Sun.

A gimbal head on a carbon fiber tripod was used with great success for 2019, as this set up handled the heavy and large lens and camera with ease. The eclipse was only 14 degrees above the horizon. A higher altitudeabove the horizon -eclipse would work with this rig, but it would have to be tested beforehand to ensure freedom of movement of the rig.

A 28 to 300-mm telephoto zoom lens would be a good choice for wideangle and zoomed in solar eclipse pics. This set up would be more compact, probably less expensive and allow for a good range of pics covering the inner and outer corona plus wide-angle view of stars and planets present in the Moon's umbra.

At totality the corona is as bright as the full Moon, which translates into fast shutter speeds even with an ISO that is 100-200. Annular and partial solar eclipses will be bright as well, so fast shutter speeds will be the order of the day.

Reviewing the references as well as the settings information for the provided images will get you started. Fast SAAS is the order of the day.

Prime focus is the author's recommended method for using a telescope that is equipped with a proper solar filter on the front/aperture of the telescope and a camera -preferably a DSLR -to photograph solar eclipses. This will give you as wide a view possible of the Sun and Moon, especially if you use a reducer as well.

Depending on your telescope's optical system -a small aperture, fast focal ratio refractor is recommended -and camera, you may or may not be able to get the entire Sun-Moon in your camera. In advance of an eclipse, you can take astropics of the Moon or the Sun (with a safe solar filter attached to the front/aperture of your telescope) with your planned setup to see the exact photographic coverage you will obtain. It isn't recommended that eyepiece projection or barlow/extender methods be used in a total solar eclipse during totality, as this will prohibit full coverage of the corona. You may want to use these methods during partial solar eclipses (including partial eclipse phases during annular, total and hybrid eclipses) to capture detail along the Moon's limb. If you want detail in prominences during totality even in prime focus mode you can successfully use cropping to highlight prominences present.

The Sun and Moon will show movement in your telescope and camera. Depending on your setup you may be able to move your telescope manually or have your mount track the duo. If your mount has solar tracking rate capability use it, but it isn't a hard-and-fast requirement. If you want to have your mount track, you will have to accomplish daytime polar alignment, discussed in Chapters 6 and 7.

Always decide what to do before eclipse day and practice. 

Now that we have covered the Sun -pun intended! -let's turn our camera and telescope to lunar eclipses. The author has lost count of how many lunar eclipses he has seen and photographed during 50-plus years of sky watching. These beautiful nighttime spectacles require no eye or camera protection and are wondrous when the Moon is totally eclipsed or undergoing a deep partial eclipse. Penumbral eclipses may be short in duration, while total and partial lunar eclipses can go on for hours.

Total lunar eclipses begin with the shadow of the Earth's very faint penumbra enveloping the Moon. Seeing the penumbra with the unaided eye is a challenge but is far easier to photograph. The appearance on the Moon's limb of the dark and easy-to-see (and photograph) shadow of the umbra is quite a sight.

As the umbra envelops ever greater portions of the Moon, colors will begin to develop. These colors can be hues of red, orange, yellow and even brown. At totality the umbra completely covers the Moon, and visible colors will be at their peak. For a total eclipse in which the Moon travels close to or actually on the centerline path of the Earth's umbral shadow and there- fore through its deepest part, it can exhibit a vivid orangish-red or "copper penny" color. When viewed against a darkened sky with stars nearby, it is striking in appearance. If the Moon is at the edges of the umbral shadow, colors can be less vivid and show some shades of white in the overall appearance. The surrounding sky may not be as dark either. It is still a worthy event to see and photograph.

After totality, the umbra will move across the Moon and exit. The penumbra might become visible after this, and shortly afterwards the event is over.

Like their total solar eclipse counterparts, each total lunar eclipse is unique. The positioning of the Moon in the umbra as well as the transparency of the Earth's atmosphere will be the main factors for what colors we will see and photograph. The only reason we see color in total lunar eclipses is due to the passage of sunlight through Earth's atmosphere which then falls upon the surface of the full Moon. If the Earth had no atmosphere there would be no sunlight streaming through, no color, and the full Moon would be black and likely invisible. The Earth would be at "New Earth" phase as seen from the Moon with no sunlight reflecting off of the planet's oceans and clouds to also illuminate the Moon.

Future astronauts on the lunar surface or in lunar orbit during a total lunar eclipse would experience a total solar eclipse caused by the Earth. They would see a red ring of light circling the entire limb of the Earth comprised of all the sunrises and sunsets taking place during the total lunar eclipse, especially during totality. The outer solar corona and maybe even the inner corona would be visible. What a view that would be! The crew of Apollo 12 saw this as they were returning to Earth in November 1969.

The transparency of our planet's atmosphere is dependent on how much volcanic debris, aerosols and other airborne particles are in the atmosphere and their distribution. Atmospheric scientists have monitored total lunar eclipses to check on the condition of the Earth's atmosphere. Volcanic eruptions can make a big impact on the transparency of Earth's atmosphere and the amount of sunlight that can pass through it. A prime and personally experienced example was the 1991 major eruption of the Philippines' Mount Pinatubo. A total lunar eclipse in 1992 witnessed and photographed from the island of Guam was extremely hard to see during the totality phase and exhibited a deep, dark brown color. This was the first time the author had ever seen this exhibited in a total lunar eclipse.

For partial lunar eclipses, the event will lead off with the ghostly penumbral eclipse followed by the curved dark umbra. It is always enthralling to see the ever-expanding dark curve of the umbra as you realize that that is our planet's shadow, just like we see at sunrise and sunset. The Greeks realized that our planet had to be spherical in order for the Earth's shadow to look the way it does during lunar eclipses.

Sometimes the Moon will pass sufficiently far into the umbral shadow, so some slight coloring will appear. These circumstances make for some excellent astropics.

After reaching maximum coverage of the Moon for each partial eclipse event, the umbra will retreat and exit the Moon with the penumbra following to end the event.

The ghostly penumbral lunar eclipses can be a challenge to photograph due to the penumbra possibly not being visible to the eye. If the penumbra moves sufficiently deep to be near the umbra, you might be able to see it visually. Using a camera and/or telescope will probably pick up the subtle shading of the penumbra shadow, especially if you take astropics centered on the scheduled start and end times for the penumbral eclipse.

These have a few differences from solar eclipse maps, including:

• Lunar eclipses take place at night and are observable to the whole hemisphere experiencing nighttime. • They depict the Earth in a rectangular format showing the wide area coverage of the eclipse, with key events annotated. • They show the Moon's path and envelopment through and within the Earth's penumbral and umbral shadows. Times are provided for the Moon's entry and exit of these shadows. • The total time duration for each phase of the eclipse is also provided.

To help establish the visibility and details of a lunar eclipse at specified locations, NASA's Lunar Eclipse Page provides a Javascript Lunar Eclipse Explorer. You input a specific geographical region, then either a city or your latitude, longitude and time zone. You then select the eclipse type and date of eclipse and you are provided with eclipse predictions that tell you all you need to know about the eclipse event.

This information will complement your astronomical software, which can provide sky views visible from your specified location. Other references from publications we have discussed for solar eclipses will also be available for each lunar eclipse occurrence.

In photographing lunar eclipses, you just repeat what you did for solar eclipses minus the solar filters and solar eclipse glasses. You will also be shooting at night or near sunrise or sunset depending on the lunar eclipse event particulars. Use the initial settings for the provided figures and SAAS.

The following descriptions for lunar eclipse events apply to both modes.

When the penumbra makes first contact with the bright full Moon, perhaps you will see shortly thereafter very slight and light gray shading. You want to take a pic at first contact and a few more as the penumbral eclipse progresses. At the start of the partial eclipse phase you will see the dark and curved umbra appear, another pic to take. As the partial eclipse phase progresses, the full Moon gets deeper and deeper into the umbra. At the first hint of color you will want to take some astropics and SAAS. This color can change and/or become more vivid especially when getting close to totality.

Be sure to take note of the surrounding sky as more stars will begin to appear. You will want to get an astropic of the totally eclipsed Moon hanging in the sky surrounded by a star field.

After totality the umbra slowly moves off the Moon, followed by the penumbra to end the event with the reappearance of the full Moon.

These events can barely eclipse the Moon with the umbra or go far into the umbra to produce some color. Use the above partial eclipse procedures and the following initial settings and SAAS.

The penumbra will be present in all eclipses at their beginning and end. Occasionally the Moon undergoes a penumbral eclipse only and presents a challenge to see it visually and then photograph it. Try initial settings for a Full Moon and SAAS.

The guidance for photographing the Sun and solar eclipses applies to photographing lunar eclipses, as the Sun and Moon are the same apparent size in the sky. Of course lunar eclipses occur at night or near sunrise and sunset depending on the eclipse circumstances. But, you will be shooting a very bright object, the full Moon as the eclipse event starts, so ISO will be low, probably about 200, and the shutter speeds fast. As the eclipse progresses, especially for deep partial and total lunar eclipse events, you will probably have to adjust ISO and shutter speeds.

To photograph the penumbra and umbra you will want to use long focal length lenses to pull in shadow detail on the Moon and surrounding stars and possibly planets near the Moon at totality. Wide-angle lenses will be the name of the game for a wider angle view of the totally eclipsed Moon and the surrounding star field in a darkened sky.

You will want to photograph the surrounding sky in a total lunar eclipse, because there are few night sky spectacles more beautiful than a totally eclipsed copper penny-colored Moon suspended in a dark sky surrounded by stars. Some of the stars in the constellation that the eclipse takes place within will be visible and if you're lucky, maybe even the Milky Way.

Also consider including the surrounding landscape and horizon in your totality astropics, as this can produce some very nice blending of Earth, Moon and sky.

Mounting your camera on a tripod should be sufficient to take all of your astropics, as the shutter speeds and ISO can be set to allow no trailing or blurring.

As always SAAS. Photographing a lunar eclipse with Camera and Telescope can produce some very nice astropics of the Moon's shadow advancing along the lunar surface and enveloping craters, maria and other lunar features. The deepening eclipse will change the appearance of the Moon, which you will want to photograph. But it will be at totality that you want to focus your efforts, as the color, hues and shading can be quite spectacular. Prime focus will give you the widest possible angle for your cameratelescope setup while using eyepiece projection and barlow/extender will get your best closeups of the interplay between lunar features and the Earth's shadow. You will have time to switch back and forth from different camera-telescope setups, as totality can last for over an hour in some eclipses. Decide on what you want to do beforehand and put it in your eclipse plan.

You should have polar aligned your mount prior to the eclipse so it should track the Moon well enough for your anticipated initial exposure settings. If your mount has lunar tracking rate capability, use it, but it isn't a hard-and-fast requirement.

As always, SAAS. If you have looked at the NASA and MrEclipse.com websites for upcoming eclipse information and eclipse maps, subscribe to Sky and Telescope or other similar magazines or have the annual Observer's Handbook, you should have plenty of notice for when solar and lunar eclipses will occur and where. You can also determine the type of eclipse, your viewing location, the local date and time at your specified viewing location and other logistics. Using these resources will help you to establish an eclipse plan as far in advance as possible. It can really help to think about and visualize what you want to do astropic-wise for an eclipse. During total solar eclipses, many of us umbraphiles confess to experiencing what the author describes as "Primal Awe"the sheer magnificence and primal emotions of being in the Moon's umbral shadow and seeing the totally eclipsed Sun with its glorious corona. Seasoned total solar eclipse chasers have confided to "failing to take off solar filters during totality," "being mesmerized," "a primal feeling deep within me." You will probably experience something like this as well, especially during your first total solar eclipse. You may want to concentrate on watching your first total solar eclipse, and taking time to get just one photograph of glorious totality.

An eclipse plan forces you to think and plan for the event, write it down, practice it, and then execute it. Without this process, you may be in for a very disappointing outcome. What follows is a recommended eclipse plan, which of course you can tailor to your personal preferences. While it focuses heavily on solar eclipses because they entail more intensive safety procedures and more equipment preparation, it largely pertains to lunar eclipses as well.

• Specify type of solar or lunar eclipse event involved, i.e., partial, total, annular, hybrid, penumbral. • If a solar eclipse event, perform the following Solar Eclipse Safety Review:

• Review the solar safety information provided in Chapter 12 and this chapter. • Review the solar eclipse safety links in Chapter 23. • If you do not fully understand any segment of this solar safety information, contact an appropriate organization for clarification.

• Solar Eclipse Safety requirements have been reviewed and are understood. • Approved and certified proper-size solar filters are available for the front of each camera lens and viewfinder (if required), telescope and telescope finder scope (if used) and other optical aids. • Approved and certified ISO 12312-2 solar eclipse glasses are available to be used for eyes only. • Solar eclipse glasses and solar filter(s) were inspected before use according to the manufacturer's guidelines and instructions.

Date of the eclipse for your specified viewing location. You will have to convert from Universal Time to the time zone for your specified viewing location which may change the date. For a lunar eclipse this could involve two consecutive dates over one night.

• Use the event's Eclipse Map and other resources to determine and list the local times at your specified viewing location for eclipse events like C1, C2, C3 and C4.

• Add a time for you to simply look at the eclipse.

• For a total solar eclipse event, add:

• Time to review Total Solar Eclipse Safety procedures.

• Totality start and finish times. Time to look for yourself.

• An event listing for just before and after totality, to be on the lookout for the Diamond Ring and Baily's Beads and recall that viewfinder is closed or capped. Solar filter in place after 2nd Diamond Ring.

• For an annular solar eclipse event, add:

• Time to review Annular Solar Eclipse Safety procedures.

• Annularity start and finish times. Time to look for yourself.

• An event listing to be on the lookout for Baily's Beads just before and after annularity and for the entire eclipse keeping solar filters in place with viewfinder closed or capped.

• For a hybrid solar eclipse event add:

• Time to review Hybrid Solar Eclipse Safety procedures remembering that annularity and totality will both happen and transition between the two events quickly at locations along the eclipse path. • Totality/annularity start and finish times as determined by your location. • Time to look for yourself. • An event listing for just before and after totality to be on the lookout for Baily's Beads and the Diamond Ring with viewfinder closed. Solar filter in place after 2nd Diamond Ring. • An event listing to be on the lookout for Baily's Beads just before and after annularity and for the entire annular eclipse keeping solar filters in place with viewfinder closed or capped.

• For a partial solar eclipse event add:

• A reminder that all solar filters and solar eclipse glasses must be used from the start until the event ends and you stop looking at the Sun. • Partial solar eclipse start and finish times as determined by your location.

This is done to insure that your specified location will allow observation of the entire eclipse event and will be free of obstructions.

• Position at Eclipse Start:

• Position at Totality/Annularity/Maximum Of A Partial Eclipse:

• Position at Eclipse End:

After deciding which mode you will use and the specific setup to do so, you will want to list in a sequence your planned astropic items of interest and settings. SAAS will definitely be at work here.

• Using the entries from your "Timing of Eclipse Events," list each event, e.g., C1 Start of Eclipse," with the specified camera, lens, and/or telescope setup to be used • If solar eclipse, approved proper size solar filter on the front of camera lens and viewfinder if required, and/or front/aperture of telescope and telescope finder scope if used. • Mode to be used • Recommended ISO. This will likely change during lunar eclipses but likely remain constant during solar eclipses. • Camera Mode: Manual (M) mode is highly recommended to enable precise control over shutter speed and aperture. Modern cameras have sophisticated auto mode and may work.

• Shutter Speed -this will vary during the course of the eclipse.

• Lens Aperture -May vary during the course of the eclipse but author recommends using one lens aperture for simplicity and varying shutter speed only. • Focus Mode -Manual. Focusing on the Sun or Moon during the partial eclipse phase is required. Follow previously described focusing recommendations. • File Type -RAW. If available, this will give you full image data (no compression with accompanying data loss) during astropic processing. • Flash -Off • Mounting Type -Telescope, camera tripod, handheld. If you want to have your motorized mount track you will have to accomplish daytime polar alignment, discussed in Chapters 6 and 7.

Practice solar eclipse safety properly and at all times when dealing with solar eclipses. Be mindful of the safety requirements for each type of solar eclipse. If there is anything you do not completely understand regarding solar eclipses contact an appropriate organization prior to observing and photographing them. Check out the resources we have discussed to determine what eclipses will be upcoming from your viewing location. Make plans to observe and photograph those that will be accessible to you using the information in this chapter and the additional resources listed in Chapter 23. Draft your eclipse plan and rehearse it prior to the eclipse event.

For Total, Annular and Hybrid Solar Eclipse Camera and Telescope Mode, use of a wide field, fast focal ratio small aperture refractor is highly recommended. Smaller is better than bigger telescope-wise in these events.

Consider Astrotourism for your eclipse experience. Enjoy these marvelous sky spectacles and get some treasured astropics!

memory card storage space for large RAW files -have formatted spare memory card ready • Cable Release • Comfortable Seating. Do not overlook your comfort as you may be hours long in this process. • Snacks • For Solar Eclipses: • Wide brim sun hat that allows brim to be folded back so as to not interfere with viewing through camera and/or telescope. Lunar Eclipses: • Extra clothing and warm beverage in case of cool temps • Extra batteries for red LED headlamp

• Be at your location early -hours before the eclipse -to enable slow and easy setup, and also to claim a good spot if crowds are expected. • After setup, check all gear for proper setup and function. • Take a couple of test shots using setup. • Review, visualize and practice eclipse plan. • Relax and have fun! • Execute eclipse plan • Be prepared for surprises, gear problems, and during a total solar eclipse, totality and Primal Awe