21 Aug 2017 Solar Eclipse

The photographic sequence below shows 59 images taken 3 minutes apart, from 16:10 to 18:04 UT on 21 August 2017. From beginning to end, follow this sequence left to right and downward. I used a 200 mm f/2.8 lens and north is toward the top. The location was East of Sells, AZ, where the Moon’s maximum coverage was around 65%. In front of the lens, I placed a 12,000x neutral density filter to keep the camera from catching fire.

August in southern Arizona is usually cloudy, as the big surge in July precipitation peaks before introducing another 10 months of dryness. Thus we were fortunate the weather was completely clear for the entire event!

Solar Eclipse, 21 Aug 2017

Getting Ready for the August 21 Solar Eclipse

I was refining my technique today in readiness for the eclipse on August 21. This photo was taken using a 200mm lens. You can see several sunspots near the Sun’s limb, at the upper left. I will not b able to travel to the path of totality so I hope the weather will be clear here in southern Arizona on the morning of August 21.

WARNING: Never look through a camera at the Sun and never point your camera at the sun without proper filtration inĀ front of the lens.