Eclipses

Arkansas 2024

We drove 1,400 miles from California to San Antonio, Texas, for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.  Poor weather prospects forced us to change plans, so the day before we drove another 300 miles to Little Rock Arkansas.  Clouds on the morning of the event caused us to change plans yet again.  We finally found mostly clear skies at Pencil Bluff, AR and experienced a glorious four minutes and 17 seconds standing in the Moon's shadow.
A composite image of “Bailey’s Beads” at the beginning and end of totality Composite of Nine Exposures: 600 mm, F/16, ISO 100, 1/250 – 1/1000 sec
Rarely photographed “Flying Shadow Bands” caused by a uniform high-altitude cloud layer. Single exposure: 600 mm, F/16, ISO 100, 1/250 sec
Prominences visible just after second contact (the start of totality) Single Exposure: 600 mm, F/16, ISO 100, 1/250 sec
Prominences Just Prior to Third Contact (end of totality) Single Exposure: 600 mm, F/16, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec
Totality From Pencil Bluff, Arkansas. HDR Composite of Seven Exposures: 600 mm, F/16, ISO 100, 1/1000 – 2 sec
I was unable to attend the May, 2024 Riverside Astronomical Society monthly meeting, so I recorded this short summary of our eclipse adventure

West Australia 2023

I took these images of the April 20, 2023 total solar eclipse from the deck of the cruise ship P&O Pacific Explorer off the coast of Western Australia, near Exmouth. All images were taken with an astro-modified Canon EOS R camera through a 100-400 mm zoom lens set at 400 mm. Shot at f/8 ISO 400 and processed with Pixinsight except as noted.
A single 1/8000th second exposure, taken during the first seconds of totality. Note the colorful chromosphere along the bottom edge, as well as the bright prominences on the left.
A single 1/8000th second exposure, taken near the midpoint of totality.
This image is a composite of three separate exposures: two for the corona and one for the chromosphere. Corona exposures shot at 1/250th second, chromosphere shot at 1/8000 second. Processed using Photoshop and PixInsight.
The April 8, 2023 total solar eclipse totality in real time, viewed from the deck of the cruise ship P&O Pacific Explorer off the coast of Exmouth, West Australia.

Argentina 2019

We traveled to Buena Vista, Argentina for the July 2, 2019 Total Solar Eclipse.

“Baileys Beads” – Caused by sunlight streaming through multiple valleys on the Moon
Totality – The Chromosphere and solar prominences shine on the left edge of the Sun
“Totality” – A composite image of the solar corona and prominences during maximum eclipse
The “Diamond Ring” – Caused by the last rays of sunlight streaming through a valley on the Moon

Oregon 2017

We viewed the August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse from the center line, on the side of a highway north of Madras, Oregon.

A composite image showing the progression of the eclipse from beginning – “first contact” – to end – “fourth contact”.
An intentionally overexposed image of the eclipse taken during totality, showing hints of detail on the lunar surface
A composite image taken during totality showing red prominence