Anthony,
You believe skylux mount is inadequate for this? I really don't know...

Vaggeli,

Photographing the partial phases is trivial and a simple tripod will suffice. However ....

What would you sugest for imaging the corona?

... this is where we have a problem and it has to do with the extended exposure in order to capture the full magnitude of the corona. Unfortunately we need an exposure which must be at least four seconds (and quite possibly more).

I suggest you try and see if this is doable with your current setup. For example, take one exposure and four seconds later take a second exposure. When viewing the two images, is there ANY image shift?

Another approach is to take a four-second exposure to see how clear the disk and its edges are.

Please remember that you are using a 400mm focal length setup (mine is 530mm) which leads to a small field of view and greater movement within the field by the object(s) of interest!

Renting a russian mount perhaps?

This is my preference as well BUT they did not reply to my message about this possibility.

I just checked a few minutes ago the luggage restrictions by Aeroflot and we are allowed ONE check-in piece at 20 kg maximum PLUS one carry-on piece at 10 kg maximum. These limits create a problem for me since I need TWO check-in pieces plus one carry-on.

Renting a russian mount perhaps?

This is my preference as well BUT they did not reply to my message about this possibility.

One serious problem with this scenario (ie. renting a mount) is the possibility of something going wrong and arriving on eclipse day and only to find out there is no mount for you due to some mistake. It would be a great shame to travel so far and NOT have a mount to use. It is for this reason that I prefer to bring my own mount and thereby avoid any problems due to bad communication and/or planning on their part!

What would you sugest for imaging the corona?

... this is where we have a problem and it has to do with the extended exposure in order to capture the full magnitude of the corona. Unfortunately we need an exposure which must be at least four seconds (and quite possibly more).

The corona has great detail when imaged properly and it is vital that you have very good tracking. I realize that we have a maximum exposure, for example, of four seconds but this does not help us since the field of view due to the focal length we plan to use makes these four seconds an issue!

PS. To make matters worse, totality will be occurring relatively low in the sky which means greater apparent movement than when high overhead. In other words, tracking is now even more critical since totality will be occurring at only 33.5 degrees altitude. :oops:

I have a little experiment for you ... when the sun tomorrow is around 33.5 degrees (either rising or setting), take a four-second exposure with your setup to see if you have any trailing at 400mm focal length. :wink:

Last time I checked Aeroflot allowed two pieces of check-in luggage plus one carry-on.

This limit is for transatlantic flights from US/Canada. For us poor slobs in Europe, we are allowed one check-in piece and one carry-on.

Otherwise, get the wallet out and pay for each additional kilogram whether it is excess baggage (extra piece) or not.

Unfortunately we need an exposure which must be at least four seconds (and quite possibly more).

For anyone interested in catching the moon (!) while it is eclipsing the sun (ie. earthshine), we need an exposure which is at least eight seconds!!! :oops:

Anthony,
Thanx for all this advise!
It seems I will have a lot more homework to do (tracking etc). Practise makes expert
As for the corona, my lens is f/2.8 (200mm).
Coupled with the 2X converter, does it turn to f/5.6 (400mm) or what?
If so, Espenak's table www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/image/SE-Exposure1w.GIF suggests 1/2 sec at ISO 100 for catching 4Sr corona. Is it not so?
Any way, what ISO should I use for the Corona and for the Diamond Ring?
Too many questions, eh?

PS
I telephoned Aeroflot and asked about extra luggage. They said that if we are going to stay in Moscow more than 4 hours (which is our case) we should pay 7 euros per kilo for Athens-Moscow leg.
Calculation: plus+ 20 kilos :arrow: minus- 140 euros (that sounded perfectly normal to them).
Then, at Sheremetievo1, we are going to pay again for Moscow-Novosibirsk leg (their words were that since we will be staying more than 4 hrs, we will probably buy something from Moscow!)

Anthony,
Thanx for all this advise!
It seems I will have a lot more homework to do (tracking etc). Practise makes expert

Unfortunately, preparation is absolutely vital for such events since they are one-time events. There is NO room for error. :cry:

As for the corona, my lens is f/2.8 (200mm). Coupled with the 2X converter, does it turn to f/5.6 (400mm) or what?

That is correct and is similar to my Tak FSQ at f5.

If so, Espenak's table www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/image/SE-Exposure1w.GIF suggests 1/2 sec at ISO 100 for catching 4Sr corona. Is it not so?

This is where I have a problem. You will catch the corona with ANY exposure - even 1/8th sec - but the problem is to catch the complete corona and which extends over one degree past the edge of the sun in either direction. This is where the extended exposures come into play.

Any way, what ISO should I use for the Corona and for the Diamond Ring?

Well, here is my diamond ring from 2006: www.perseus.gr/Astro-Eclipses-2006-03-29b.htm .... ISO 100 and 1/60th sec

For the Corona, I will visit my originals but here are two examples for your analysis and consumption:

(1) www.perseus.gr/Astro-Eclipses-2006-03-29.htm ... ISO 100 and 1/125th sec ... inner corona
(2) www.perseus.gr/Astro-Eclipses-2006-03-29c.htm ... ISO 100 and 1/100th to 1/4 sec ... however, I do not know how extensive it is due to the small field of view for this particular photo

Too many questions, eh?

Never! Better to ask now than later since the latter will be fatal. :cry:

My preference is NOT to deviate from ISO 100 for obvious reasons. The best solution at this point is to take several exposures at ISO 100 and see where trailing first becomes visible. Ditto for ISO 200.

I would be delighted if I can take a simple tripod for my FSQ if trailing is not an issue at any point during totality and the series of exposures. The alternative of increasing ISO to combat this problem is only a limited soilution. The best bet seems renting a mount at Novo but this option has its own risks (as described earlier).

PS
I telephoned Aeroflot and asked about extra luggage. They said that if we are going to stay in Moscow more than 4 hours (which is our case) we should pay 7 euros per kilo for Athens-Moscow leg.
Calculation: plus+ 20 kilos :arrow: minus- 140 euros (that sounded perfectly normal to them).
Then, at Sheremetievo1, we are going to pay again for Moscow-Novosibirsk leg (their words were that since we will be staying more than 4 hrs, we will probably buy something from Moscow!)

This is VERY upsetting!

I also got the following reply directly from Aeroflot:

Dera client!

According to the rules, a passenger can claim uncounted number of bags. TOTAL WEIGHT of all bags in economy class baggage shouldnt preceede 20 kilogrammes, in business class 30 kilogrammes. One piece of carry on baggage allowed, up to 10 kilogrammes.

Each extra kilogramme will be charged as 130 russian roubles.

Kind regards

Aeroflot call-center

+7(495) 223 55 55 daily

Vaggeli et al,

I just received the following reply from the Aeroflot office in Athens:

It's cleared free of charge of 20 kg luggage weight. So if your both pieces of baggage less 20 kg you will not pay. More details you can find in our WEB site www.aeroflot.ru/eng . In case of overloading rate is 11 euro per 1 kg

There is no question about the one check-in (max 20 kg) and one carry-on (10 kg). What is of similar interest is the discrepancy for the excess weight - the Russian representative quotes 130 rubles (ie. 4 euro) per kilogram whereas the airline's representative in Athens states 11 euro per kilogram ... and you received a quotation of 7 euro per kilogram. This wide discrepancy is not encouraging at all and are you sure you want to rent a mount in Russia in light of the confusion with the cost for excess weight? :cry:

Vaggeli et al,

One possible way out of the mess involving tracking and trailing is to use a CCD camera and where the exposures will be a few milli-seconds!

I will prepare the filter for my FSQ this evening and do some testing tomorrow in relation to using a regular digital camera. The following day I will do testing using my SBIG CCD camera.

The use of a CCD camera simplifies matters tremendously and certainly reduces equipment requirements (a simple tripod is more than sufficient). The only restriction is the need for electrical power and which is not a real issue.

There is no question about the one check-in (max 20 kg) and one carry-on (10 kg).

That sounds very generous for carry-on. You could carry an ETX-70 laden with accessories for that (which I did to Turkey, in case you're wondering). I don't know how Dave Lillis did it for Turkey, but his set-up must have been close to 30kg!

Seanie.

Hi Seanie,

I am quite upset at these limitations considering it involves international travel and a few thousand kilometers either way. Why does an American have the luxury of 2 check-ins and 23 kg/piece whereas a European is allowed only 1 check-in and three kg less (ie. 20 kg/piece)?

What is really amusing and of concern is the wide discrepancy for excess weight ... it seems you get a wildly different answer depending on who you ask.

Next time I will be more thorough with available airlines and the restrictions each one has in relation to luggage and weight.

The use of a CCD camera is really appealing and I will examine the possibility very closely!!!!

well lads,
my bag weighed 39.5kgs! at Cork airport, back then you were able to pool luggage around people you knew, so I shared it with Conn and his wife, otherwise I was looking at a very hefty fee.
As for Russia, my bag will be kept strictly below 20kgs, same scope setup but alot less clothes as were not staying a week there.

BTW Anthony, that must be a record for consequential posts by one person.

BTW Anthony, that must be a record for consequential posts by one person.

I apologize ... too many afterthoughts and mostly due to my frustration.

I apologize ... too many afterthoughts and mostly due to my frustration.

You're ok Anthony. Good detail in there. I find it very useful for trying to estimate exposure times.

Well I'm almost finished my equipments' list:
1) Binoculars Vixen 9X63 and Baader filters.
2) Special solar eclipse glasses.
3) My NASA hat (an alternative with Red Cross for special cases)
4) Simple tourist digital camera for people faces and reactions!

I don't worry about the corona!
Master Anthony will do a great job for once more! :shock:

I apologize ... too many afterthoughts and mostly due to my frustration.

You're ok Anthony. Good detail in there. I find it very useful for trying to estimate exposure times.

Michael,

Do yourself a big favour and get a perfect baseline exposure right now for the full disk. For example, in my case such a value is ISO 100 and 1/500th sec as per www.perseus.gr/Astro-Solar-Sunspots-2007-06-03.htm and which will need a slight adjustment due to the fact I will be using a slightly faster scope (FSQ at f5) and where I will have a new baseline estimate tomorrow during testing.

Once you have your baseline estimate, invoke exposure compensation on your camera using +/- 1/3 stop so that you will be taking all of your exposures in triplicate and you will always have a perfect exposure from one of these three exposures. At the same time, invoke the histogram option so that you will be able to study the histogram for each photograph taken with your ultimate goal being a histogram which covers approximately 3/4 of the horizontal axis and thus yielding good dynamic range and certainly no clipping on the far right (ie. burning).

As the phases progress, you will be okay since the exposure compensation will cover you. However, once the phase is between full disk and half-disk, adjust downward by 1/3 or 2/3 stops so as to now also be okay for the next set of exposures. Once you reach half-disk, another downward change by 1/3 or 2/3 stops. Ditto for between half disk and no disk ... once we approach totality, make sure you are shooting around 1/60th since we will now be close to the diamond-ring effect and whose proper exposure is 1/60th plus or minus 1/3 stop (thanks to EC, we are covered).

As for totality, this is were all the action is .... start low (ex. 3.2 seconds) with EC still activated and move upwards and towards 1/1000th so that you will also catch prominences. When changing the exposure settings here, we have the advantage of the EC having captured additional intermediate exposures for us and, as such, we change the setting by three clicks. In other words, if we start at 3.2 seconds, EC will capture for us 2.5, 3.2 and 4.0 seconds ... therefore, our next setting will NOT be from 3.2 to 2.5 but from 3.2 to 1.5 since with a baseline of 1.5 secs, EC will now get us 1.2, 1.5 and 2.0 ... and similarly for the balance where we click three settings.

When done with totality, immediately get back to 1/60th sec (again with EC in effect) so that you will be ready for the next diamond-ring ... and the rest with the phases is as per the above.

If you are with me when we are shooting, I can work with you by letting you know my exposure settings and whenever I proceed with a change in settings.

As for processing, here is some info which may be of interest: www.perseus.gr/Astro-Tips-Solar-Process.htm .

Anthony et all,
(and that guy, Effremidis)

the pricelist for renting or buying TAL telescopes has been announced by the Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant .
They have also said that the main sales/renting site in Novosibirsk city, is going to be the local team's football stadium!

Vaggeli,

Two comments ... (1) the pricing is so outrageous for this two-hr event that it is worth for one to pay the extra fees for excess luggage and (2) they do not offer mounts on their own for rental.

I wish them good luck with their offer!

Anthony,
Many thanks for all the tips.
My main interest this time is to capture the corona so that will be my main focus. I captured the phases last time with my PST, so am not too worried about that them this time.
www.astroshot.com/Solar/images/Solar%20Eclipse%20PST%20V2.jpg .
(While the above image isn't exactly a "classic" and could do with some colour correction, it will suffice for now. It should be relatively easy to get the phases again this time, weather permitting as I will have a better setup, albeit white light only.)
Thanks,

One thing I just taught of is that on this occasion, there will most likely be no sunspots, so the Sun will be blank.

Michael,

My primary objective is also the extended corona. Although it is very tempting to simply sit back and wait for totality, I think I will also pursue the partial phases in the event something weird happens such as a plane passing through the field of view.

As for the absence of sunspots, this is a problem since it impacts our fine focus. The next option is to key on the edge of the sun (at 33.5 degrees altitude ... ouch!) and use the right-angled finder which allows 2x or 2.5x zoom.

The other image I would like to capture is a wide-angle shot during totality. Are there any cheap fisheye lenses out there??

The other image I would like to capture is a wide-angle shot during totality. Are there any cheap fisheye lenses out there??

I have the Peleng 16mm/f2.8 fisheye which I like ... if its doable for you, I can try and bring it (depending on how I resolve my kg issue).

Thanks for the offer.
I have recently ordered a Canon 17-40mm L lens and hope this will arrive in time for the trip. 1mm focal length difference won't be too much.
I had in mind something in the region of 8-10mm.