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Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia

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16 years 5 months ago #66184 by michaeloconnell
Replied by michaeloconnell on topic Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia
I decided I wanted to try and take some images of the upcoming eclipse and so started taking some test images this evening to figure out the focal length of lens I want to use. Anway, below is a test image. No processing done at all, just re-sized down as it's only a test image. It's taken with 400d and Canon 100-400mm L IS USM lens at 400mm. I'm hoping to use this in Russia to capture the corona. Will the corona fit in completely at this focal length or should I perhaps use the lens at 300mm instead?



One thing I noticed that the UV filter causes an internal reflection so this MUST be taken off when using taking images with camera lenses for astronomical purposes involving bright targets such as the moon, and probably the sun and brighter planets too. On this image it's taken off, but on other images, there was a distinct ghost image.

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16 years 5 months ago #66193 by ayiomamitis
Replied by ayiomamitis on topic Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia
Hi Michael,

I plan to use my Tak FSQ at its native focal length of 530 mm which means your 400 mm should be fine. I would not pursue anything at 300 mm since you will be losing detail with the excessively large field of view.

If you check around the 'net, you will find that the FSQ was used for many extended corona shots which sets both of us at ease.

Anthony Ayiomamitis
Athens, Greece
www.perseus.gr

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16 years 5 months ago #66197 by Vagelis Tsamis
Replied by Vagelis Tsamis on topic Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia
Michael,
400mm is fine.
I will use a Nikon D70s and a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 APO lens, WITH a 2X converter, so I get 400.

Sparta Astronomy Association / Observations Coordinator
International Occultation Timing Association / European Section, www.iota-es.de/

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16 years 5 months ago #66198 by michaeloconnell
Replied by michaeloconnell on topic Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia
Cool. Thanks Lads.

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16 years 5 months ago #66208 by dave_lillis
Replied by dave_lillis on topic Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia
Its all about practice Michael, thats how I knew what exposures to take at Turkey. Thats shows a good image scale, great for the outer corona.
I'm going to give the 6" mak a go at the moon to see what kind of image scale I get. It it works, then its going to Russia with me.

Dave L. on facebook , See my images in flickr
Chairman. Shannonside Astronomy Club (Limerick)

Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me,
but what a way to go. :)
+ 12"LX200, MK67, Meade2045, 4"refractor

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16 years 5 months ago #66769 by dave_lillis
Replied by dave_lillis on topic Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2008 - Russia
I'm reconsidering what to do for the eclipse.This is a unprocessed image from Turkey,


Note that this image scale, this is with the canon and a 500mm focal length scope, its pretty good for the corona, a longer exposure would have given a nicer corona, one thing to think about this time around and its so damn obvious I don't know how I missed it last time is that it would be seriously advantages to rotate the camera in such a manner as to have the poles of the Sun pointing to the top and bottom of the frame, this way the corona doesn't get clipped by the edge of the frame.

For this eclispe, I'll once again bring the 4" refractor + canon (the intes is just too big!), I also hope to piggyback mount a camcorder and 2 more cameras with high power telephoto lenses onto the top of the scope, all going well.

I'm considering a 2x or 1.5 barlow for the scope combination as I think a higher power would be fantastic for catching those prominences and let the other 2 cameras catch the corona. One has a 200mm lens, the second one I might use a 300x lens, we'll see.

Dave L. on facebook , See my images in flickr
Chairman. Shannonside Astronomy Club (Limerick)

Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me,
but what a way to go. :)
+ 12"LX200, MK67, Meade2045, 4"refractor

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