Solar Eclipse!

[sreed2006]

I was in Clarksville, Tennessee for the total eclipse today. I did not take pictures of the sun, but did have my handheld light meter handy since I was using a Leica M4 to take other pictures of the event.

Before the eclipse started, with the meter set to ISO 320 and aimed at horizontal, the EV was 17.

When the sun was 1/3 covered, the reading was EV 16.

When the sun looked like the last quarter of the moon (crescent), it was EV 14.

With just a thumbnail sliver, it was EV 13.

In the remaining 4 minutes before total eclipse, it dropped rapidly.

At total eclipse, it was EV 5 2/3.

It was not like nighttime, more like about 15 or 20 minutes after sunset. The difference was over 11 stops between the full sunlight and the total eclipse.

On a more emotional note - it was absolutely outstanding to see. The crowd of hundreds in the park where I was spontaneously erupted into applause and shouts. I could not stop myself from saying, "Oh, Wow!" at the sight of the total eclipse. No photographs can ever do it justice, as far as I am concerned.

 

[x-ray]

I could not stop myself from saying, "Oh, Wow!" at the sight of the total eclipse. No photographs can ever do it justice, as far as I am concerned.

I totally agree. I've seen a 98% eclipse and that was very cool but this was beyond amazing. The birds quit singing, the sky got very dark, it looked like a sunset in the distance with red on the horizon, there were stars in the sky, the temperature dropped 10 degrees and everything got very still. It all happened in a little over 2 minutes then back to normal.

 

[biomed]

Watched from our driveway. Decided not to use the cameras. Bought some cheap filter equipped 10 x 50 binocs. We watched with eclipse glasses and took turns with the binoculars. Pretty cool.

 

[B-9]

We spent over 30 hours on the road to see "The Great American Eclipse"

We ended up in Mortons Gap, KY but back tracked North to the Madisonville? Denny's who had a great spot to set up the telescope on a small hill overlooking for the highway.

It was awesome! all 2 minutes of it!

Indifference... you mean you missed out! 😉

So glad to be near our own bed!

 

[maggieo]

Very well done!

Nice set of photos! I think people are more interesting than the eclipse anyway!

Thanks, guys!

I figured I'd leave the solar photography to the experts, like, you know, NASA. 😀

 

[robert blu]

@maggieo: excellent reportage! The human side of an event is always interesting 🙂
robert

 

[jsrockit]

Indifference... you mean you missed out! 😉

Perhaps I did... based on some of the descriptions (not the photos). However, it'll happen in Chile in 2019 and I should be here then.

 

[rogue_designer]

About 10 minutes before our max of 97%


Eclipse via Cloud


A few people during our peak - dropped from 1/200 @ f8 @ iso200, to 1/30th @ f8 @ iso 500:


Eclipse Little Five Points 1


Eclipse Little Five Points 2

The light was weird. I don't think the camera really does it justice.

 

[maggieo]

@maggieo: excellent reportage! The human side of an event is always interesting 🙂
robert

Thank you, Robert!

I loved seeing the joy that ran through everyone there.

 

[B-9]

Perhaps I did... based on some of the descriptions (not the photos). However, it'll happen in Chile in 2019 and I should be here then.

You should try and make it!

After all the driving, I still feel it was worth the fatigue and lost sleep!

 

[dmr]

Here are a few very quick preliminary edits. These were taken just west of Morrill, Nebraska. (see: Nowhere, Middle Of) 🙂

Partial shots came out good. I was disappointed in the Bail(e)y Bead ones but I did get a few almost-good diamond ring ones which I have not really tried post-processing yet.

 

[robert blu]

...The birds quit singing, the sky got very dark, it looked like a sunset in the distance with red on the horizon, there were stars in the sky, the temperature dropped 10 degrees and everything got very still. It all happened in a little over 2 minutes then back to normal.

Similar experience in Italy year 2000...

imagine what could our ancestors think that was going to happen...today we all know the sun come back but many centuries ago...

Interesting photos in this thread, thanks for sharing such an event with people like me who are on the other side of the ocean 🙂
robert

 

[willie_901]

I could not stop myself from saying, "Oh, Wow!" at the sight of the total eclipse. No photographs can ever do it justice, as far as I am concerned.

I totally agree. I've seen a 98% eclipse and that was very cool but this was beyond amazing. The birds quit singing, the sky got very dark, it looked like a sunset in the distance with red on the horizon, there were stars in the sky, the temperature dropped 10 degrees and everything got very still. It all happened in a little over 2 minutes then back to normal.

Gentlemen, I am in total agreement with you.

 

[ptpdprinter]

Once in a lifetime? Hardly.

See https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html?starty=2010 and modify the start year and location. Total solar eclipses are not that rare.

Once in a lifetime event - no. Once in a lifetime opportunity - very likely. I read this was the first time in 99 years that the total eclipse path traced across the continental United States. I am glad I had enough sense to divert my attention away from my iPhone long enough to see the event happen with my own eyes. YMMV.

 

[maggieo]

Once in a lifetime event - no. Once in a lifetime opportunity (which is what I said) - very likely. I read this was the first time in 99 years that the total eclipse path traced across the continental United States. I am glad I had enough sense to divert my attention away from my iPhone long enough to see the event happen with my own eyes. YMMV.

Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime event for us living in Nebraska along the line of totality!

 

[ptpdprinter]

Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime event for us living in Nebraska along the line of totality!

I am in Nashville and watched it from my back porch. I'm 62 and this was my first opportunity, and I'm quite certain my last, to see a total eclipse. An awesome experience.

 

[x-ray]

Similar experience in Italy year 2000...

imagine what could our ancestors think that was going to happen...today we all know the sun come back but many centuries ago...

Interesting photos in this thread, thanks for sharing such an event with people like me who are on the other side of the ocean 🙂
robert

My wife and I were talking about what the reaction might have been over the centuries. I can just imagine how people freaked out.

There's another total eclipse that will TN from Texas north through Illinois in a few years. I'm sure my wife would let you come stay here until I happens if we can stay in your house in Italy. You're welcomed to move in now 😀 we love Italy and the people are wonderful!

 

[narsuitus]

Solar Eclipse
August 21, 2017
1:46 pm Central Daylight Time
Chicago, Illinois
United States of America
41.8781° N / 87.6298° W
Fuji X-Pro1 digital mirrorless camera body with Nikon adapter
Nikon 1000mm f/11 mirror lens mounted on the X-Pro1 body (the angle-of-view is equivalent to 1500mm lens on a 35mm film camera)
ISO 100
f/11 aperture
2-stop neutral density filter
1/4000 second shutter speed
2-second time delayed shutter
Sokkia tripod (wooden)
Wimberley gimbal tripod head


Solar Eclipse 2017 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Corran]

I wanted to take a photo like this but the sun was way too high in the sky. So I faked it, like most everyone else is doing anyway:

I did catch Mercury to the left of the sun I believe:

Some nice looking clouds came over near totality that I really liked:

 

[x-ray]

You know I got mercury in my shots too but thought it was a hot pixel and cleaned it out. OOPS!!!