Category

Solar Eclipse Images

Introduction

Photos from a Solar Eclipse Expedition

　The moment of totality
　On 2002 Dec 4th a total solar eclipse was visible along a narrow track extending from the African continent to Australia
　Our observation team from Miyagi University of Education went to South Australia and stayed in Ceduna, a small seaside town on the edge of the Great Australian Bight. They pitched a tent and enjoyed an excellent observation of the total eclipse which occurred there. They also succeeded in recording the eclipse on video.
We also broadcast our observations live to Sendai city observatory over the internet, and conveyed their feelings of excitement at the moment of totality.
Please look through the images of that day.

Photographic Techniques

Solar Eclipse Photographic Techniques

　A video camera (Sony HandyCam) was set up on an equatorial mounting (Takahashi model EM2: part with the thin green band in the image) normally used to allow a telescope to track astronomical objects. This tracked the Sun for two hours. In addition, on account of the Sun's brightness, a filter (Kenko model ND-400) was mounted to the camera lens.。

Total Solar Eclipse Movie

Observing Circumstances for Total Solar Eclipse

• Observing Site: Ceduna, Australia (Latitude 33°7'47"S, Longitude 133°42'00"E)
  
• Observing Date & Time: 2002 Dec 4th

• Duration of Total Eclipse: 32s
  
• Sun's altitude: +20°06'16" --> +8°24'43" --> -02°10'19"

Moment of Totality

　"Oh, it's beautiful! Beautiful!", you can hear people shouting because of the dramatic impact of the sight. Here we recorded just the period of the total eclipse.

Total Eclipse Movie: 1 min duration

Partial Phases of the Eclipse

　The Sun's disk was progressively covered by the Moon. Here we recorded the partial solar eclipse leading up to totality.

Total Eclipse Movie: 6 min duration

Eclipse Expedition Itinerary

Eclipse Expedition Itinerary