Partial Solar Eclipse

Well the partial eclipse was Sunday and offered a chance for me to try out a different type of photography.  Always have to try new things.  To start and be on the safe side I needed to find a good solar filter.  That came in the form of Baader Solar Filter film bought from Agena Astro Products.

Since you are purchasing a sheet of filter film, they also include instructions on how to construct your own filter.  They are pretty easy to follow, you just have to remember to treat the film gently.  It can crease and crinkle very easily.  (Think of something like gold leaf, it's a bit stronger than leaf, but just as light.)

So, I just did a slightly different take on the instruction, I cheated in creating the cardboard tube, I just went straight to foam and mounted the cardboard sandwich on that.

Now that the filter was created, I can shoot some pictures.  (I actually created two filters, one for my spotting scope and one for my 300mm lens.  This worked out very well since I was using one and my wife and daughter could use the other to view the eclipse.)

So here are pictures, the spotting scope turned out a bit soft since I forgot to bring my remote release and I am still learning how to focus it.  It did not help that even through the filter, the LCD screen glowed a bit bright.

Here is at the start.  I like that you can see two sunspots.  (This is also the reason for the filters so I can start taking more photos of the sun and view sunspots.)  This picture came from the spotting scope.

So as the event progressed something fun happened, other people started to show up, some knew about the eclipse some did not but all learned and shared.  There was another father who brought a pin-hole camera in a box to show his son the eclipse.  He ended up sharing and talking with the group.  There was a young couple who brought some cardboard to do a projection and there where many just wanting to try and view the eclipse.  There was even viewing through the trees and leaves or 4 fingers crossed to case a shadow on the ground.  Overall, very enjoyable.

So here are a few more pictures.  This one is from my 300mm lens.  A bit sharper also cropped.   Also another getting close to maximum coverage.

Another from the spotting scope at maximum.

And now it is leaving.

Overall, I am happy with the results.  Always have to keep learning and practicing.  Also was a nice day out in the Marin headlands.  Enjoy and thanks everyone.