Stargazing Solar eclipses, total and annular

[Labguy]

I like solar eclipses, total and annular:

 

[Aether]

Nice pics Labguy! Where did you have to go to see those events?

 

[Labguy]

Nice pics Labguy! Where did you have to go to see those events?

The first two are from the "Great Eclipse" of 07/11/1991. For this one, I had to go to lower Baja, Mexico (Cabo San Lucas) to be near the center path of totality. totality was 6 minutes 19 seconds where I was. I think it is about another 130 years or so for one that long.

The second shot of the annular was on 05/10/1994 and the central path was dead-on at 13 miles north of El Paso, Texas. I was going to Phoenix that day anyway so I stopped there and took about 25 photos through a standard ND-5 inconel solar filter.

Two more below from 7/11/91 total. One shows the diamond ring before it split into a double, and the other shows the Chromosphere around almost 360*.

 

[Labguy]

Actually, the 50K limit on the photos doesn't post-up big enough to actually get a good idea of what the photo looks like. For those eclipse shots of mine above, larger versions are at:

http://web.tampabay.rr.com/smilner/sherrod1/corona.htm
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/smilner/sherrod1/dbldia.htm
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/smilner/sherrod1/dbldia2.htm
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/smilner/sherrod1/annular.htm

 

[Captain Cool Guy]

I recently got the Orion steady-pix for my birthday and I'm have an extremely difficult time trying to use it. I have done afocal photography in the past without and my wife thought it would be easier with the steady-pix. I have a pretty robust 8 inch Schmitt-Cass, but aligning the camera with the eyepiece is a bear. Any suggestions or comments about the Orion steady-pix?

 

[Labguy]

I recently got the Orion steady-pix for my birthday and I'm have an extremely difficult time trying to use it. I have done afocal photography in the past without and my wife thought it would be easier with the steady-pix. I have a pretty robust 8 inch Schmitt-Cass, but aligning the camera with the eyepiece is a bear. Any suggestions or comments about the Orion steady-pix?

Sounds like a film camera. That's all I ever used and haven't done any for several years. No CCD for me.

If your camera is a 35mm SLR with removable lens, eyepiece projection is very handy with one of these:

http://www.telescope.com/shopping/p...e=PRODUCT&iMainCat=6&iSubCat=29&iProductID=52

Much easier than the bracket you now have. Plus, with your SCT, you probably have enough focus travel to do prime focus photos at f/10 using just the camera and the scope, no eyepiece and no lens on the camera.

 

[Captain Cool Guy]

I know some of the other methods for my sct but I feel bad because I think that my wife bought me a piece of crap and I just wanted to take at least one good role for her sake and I was wondering if anyone else has learned any techniques or even a procedure for using their steadypix.