So....looking forward to the partial eclipse of the sun this morning.
It's light cloud with sunny intervals at the moment but hopefully it will be bright in another hour or so.
Cloud's rolling in so might not set the scope up :(
Blanket of grey cloud here, nothing to see except it has got appreciably darker :(
Paul
Got noticeably darker here but nowhere near totally dark.
It was bright and sunny here and it did get very much colder.
Gklad I witnessed it.
Been gettin' dark here since 6pm.... oh wait, it's the six schooners of VB... :beers:
On a serious foot, the couple of eclipses I've witnessed here in Oz have been cloudy, but the birds thought it was bedtime and all went quiet in the backyard.
It was sunny here, so went out and had a peek. My father-in-law gave us a few panes of welder's glass (sorry, my dictionary didn't help here so I had to improvise...) and it worked fine.
Wonderful experience!
Michael
Quote from: Bealman on March 20, 2015, 10:39:54 AM
Been gettin' dark here since 6pm.... oh wait, it's the six schooners of VB... :beers:
:laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:
Mainly cloudy here but managed to see the eclipse through my 'Eclipse specs' when it was about 70% complete.
We got lucky in N.Somerset, good view,
even with all the science, moon orbit, predictions, expectation, - it still got a bit spooky ! maybe part of my primitive brain saying "hey you just woke up, it souldnt be getting dark" !
Projection thro' 10x50 bino :
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/81786082/NG/Eclipse115.jpg)
Good pic!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Here's a link to a shot I got of the transit of Venus a few years back, using the projection technique:
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=9928.msg103404#msg103404 (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=9928.msg103404#msg103404)
Ben A did a report from Leicester this morning on the Beeb, in his
usual relaxed and straightforward manner.
It was cloudy here in sunny Warrington, and I was able to see the eclipse through the clouds until it got fully covered byt the clouds, so were we lucky to have a double eclipse oh boy it went cold.
Insolation !
luvverly word, always wanted to use it !! :)
I wonder if this is of any interest ? :-
During the maximum penetration,obsuration, ingress,
I took an auto exposure of a random bit of the garden, on the left.
Then when it was all over I did the same again, on the right.
Quite a difference in exposures !
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/81786082/NG/combo2.jpg)
Is there a real photographer in the house - I should be able to convert those numbers into EVs, but I have forgotten how !
Not real science (well not that any real physicist would approve of !) cos I only thought of it during the eclipse, so no serious calibrations, just for curiosity :)
EVs , there's a blast from the past. Years ago some cameras , usually not SLRs,had EV
shutters so you could have wide aperture / high shutter speed and vice versa so
the light reaching the film was the same.
Quote from: Agrippa on March 20, 2015, 01:11:56 PM
there's a blast from the past.
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shutters so you could have wide aperture / high shutter speed and vice versa
Yep, that describes me quite well :laugh:
,,
yep, mine does that,
I thought about doing it on manual, but that would have needed a lot of visual checking back and forth, whilst I really wanted to watch the eclipse, so I relied on the full auto setting.
but, a bit of a blunder, I forgot that it was on spot metering, should have chosen an area mode :( so that would explain a small difference 'twixt the two pics.
So much to catch one out on these newfangled digital machines.
Was lucky to get this - the battery ran out on me, and of course the other two were flat !!! :'(
(http://www.pixelsbears.com/imges/max_eclipse.jpg)
Got a bunch before, and a few after ... had to hoard the remaining strength before final zip ...
But, on the other hand ... I was asked by SWMBO "why don't you get a new camera ? What's out there ?" ... :o
:toot: :toot: :toot: Now she's telling me I have to have a new one, I can start looking properly !!! :read: :headbang: :claphappy:
I suppose, in the best tradition of bleedin obvious elfin, :-
dont use your dad's best bino for this and get an adult to supervise ;D
use your old spare bino.
(if the bino has a cemented lens component in the eyepiece it could come to grief,
and if you mount it fixed on a tripod and you wander off for a coffee, the image will drift off to the side and may cause mischief to any plastic bits in the eyepiece )
(/end of elfin)
Enjoyed viewing it over a late breakfast in our local Lloyds Bar. One kind fella had brought along a piece of glass from a welder's mask which provided an ideal way to view it, although I am sure somebody with professional knowledge will tell me that it was very dangerous. The edges of the glass were well-polished.
On another positive note, a friend who was with us and who has been on a bad luck streak since the last total-ish eclipse, seemed to have noticeably brightened up. :)
Just back from Kinlochleven
Booked the hotel in November 2014
Started looking at the cloud cast weather forecast earlier this week and it wasn't looking good
Made the trip anyway (5 and a half hours each way)
Woke up to find broken cloud, which then thinned
Got slightly dark for about 20 minutes and very dark for about 4 minutes
Quote from: woodbury22uk on March 20, 2015, 06:04:40 PM
although I am sure somebody with professional knowledge will tell me that it was very dangerous.
Consider yourself appropriately advised ...
Quote from: woodbury22uk on March 20, 2015, 06:04:40 PM
Enjoyed viewing it over a late breakfast in our local Lloyds Bar. One kind fella had brought along a piece of glass from a welder's mask which provided an ideal way to view it, although I am sure somebody with professional knowledge will tell me that it was very dangerous.
There is a well circulated advisory from NASA that says #14 welders glass is suitable.
"One of the most widely available filters for safe solar viewing is shade number 14 welder's glass, which can be obtained from welding supply outlets."
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety2.html (http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety2.html)
However that dates from studies before 1999 and there are some refs. on the interweb that suggests that some glass is (now?) surface coated and if scratched becomes unsafe.
So if it was old glass you should be ok !
Mind you, you only have 1 spare eyeball , , ,
Found this ...
Quotewelding glass OD is only quoted for the visible. Gas welding generates little UV so old welding masks weren't specced for it. Arc welding masks are more UV blocking but it isn't well specified - and not worth risking your eyesight on
Given the UV etc that would have gotten through - do let us know how you get on in the next few days ... ::)
But a gas welding glass is only, ummm, what, #5 or thereabouts ? so I doubt if it would even be comfortable visually to look at the sun with it ? But I have not tried it and Woodbury wanted an expert ! so I only raise this for discussion in advance of 16y time lol!
But if NASA say #14 (arc type) that would be good enough for me to use either side of a total, - to guard against mis-timing the diamond ring effect -
for partial or annular I dont think anything is gained by direct view over projection ?
If in doubt use only 1 eye at a time :) :)
Forgot to say we were inside the pub watching it on the TV!
In that case use only one brain cell at a time,
a ) cos that is all you need
b ) it can be dangerous , , , to your sanity ;-)
Quote from: MalcolmAL on March 20, 2015, 08:52:23 PM
But if NASA say #14 (arc type) that would be good enough for me to use either side of a total, - to guard against mis-timing the diamond ring effect -
for partial or annular I dont think anything is gained by direct view over projection ?
You wanna trust them ??? ::) Like I said, it won't stop UV etc ... it's almost purely visual wavelengths.
Me, I won't use anything less than my solar filter; almost totally opaque to the visual & near-visual spectrum. 8) But then, it is on the end of my scope :) Projection is OK, but nothing beats seeing it properly ... well, except seeing it properly in hydrogen alpha wavelengths !!! :thumbsup:
We had cloud cover here to start with but it cleared partially to let me take these(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/28/thumb_23107.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=23107) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/28/thumb_23106.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=23106)
Quote from: MikeDunn on March 20, 2015, 10:02:40 PM
You wanna trust them ??? ::)
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,
well, except seeing it properly in hydrogen alpha wavelengths !!! :thumbsup:
Ah now there is a dilemma, do we go with NASA or you lol! England expects every man to do his duty and decide for him(her)*self
,
,
Yep, I agree, hydrogen alpha every time.
Incidentally, did you notice the Prof.Cox hesitate when they, live, saw that prom., he was not entirely sure if it was and wanted to wait till the evening review show, by which time he (they), he said, would have been able to consult with some experts ? ! Creased me up !
Edit * for gender equality
Quote from: cycletrak9 on March 20, 2015, 10:39:01 PM
We had cloud cover here to start with but it cleared partially to let me take these
Very nice.
Very atmospheric, the trials & tribulations of the earthbound astronomer !
Where is Nidderdale ? >> off to google.
what lens /scope please ? filter / exposure , sorry for all the Qs just curious :)
Hi Malcolm
Nidderdale is in North Yorkshire - our village is about 8 miles west of Harrogate.
Nothing clever about the camera - it's a Fuji Finepix bridge camera. Took the photos from the back doorstep -auto setting, just pointed and pressed the button.
I'm 72 this year, can't guarantee that I'll be around for the next one!
Quote from: cycletrak9 on March 20, 2015, 11:13:44 PM
Nothing clever about the camera - it's a Fuji Finepix bridge camera. Took the photos from the back doorstep -auto setting, just pointed and pressed the button.
I'm 72 this year, can't guarantee that I'll be around for the next one!
Oh, nice !
We had a thin haze which did not diminish the sun much to the eye so i did not even think of pointing my bridge (old PanasonicFZ18) that way !
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no, me neither, (try having a heart attack on the morning of your 65th, that really makes you feel old , all of a sudden !) !
I had a mild stroke at 61 [2004] concentrates the mind - massive change of lifestyle and fingers crossed
Quote from: cycletrak9 on March 20, 2015, 11:47:54 PM
concentrates the mind,
,
massive change of lifestyle and fingers crossed
It certainly does
Oh! excuse us everyone, we'll be done in a min :)
Oh, that's ok we are in the general section !!
I wouldnt have minded at 64 or 66 but not on the morning of my 65th, that is just Himself taking the p. !
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Yep, given most of it away, just have to survive another few years and ChancellorO. wont see a penny of it,
now if that aint tempting providence I dont know what will :)
Really was a damp squip up here in Inverness (though on BBC website someone got a shot just between the clouds).
I thought it would be darker for our coverage, it wasn't as dark as rain clouds come over we've had this hear. Anyhow, I remember watching the last one and still watched this one -partially glued to the TV for this one though.
...I thought it a bit funny on TV when Dara O'Brien ran off inbetween the demo of the eclipse and Brian Cox tried to "eclipse" Dara with his model of the moon on a stick -but the BBC cut it bit too quick, just as it was funny.