Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Feb 25, 2024 1:14:08 GMT -6
Solar Gear Shake Out session - 24 February 2024
The biggest event in Astronomy is just over a month away and the stress of prep is upon this Astronomer.
No, not just content as an observer, but it's all in and always desiring to capture the event not only for me, but for my Astronomy students and Chicago Astronomer fans.
A more detailed guide coming up, but for now I am getting hardware at the ready, scopes, adapters, filters and cameras. This will be my second Total Solar Eclipse, last one being in 2017 and I set-up gear in distant Nebraska...
It was a successful and life changing event.
Above are the: 8" SCT for a tight FOV, 80mm Orion Shorty for wide field and the dependable 60mm Coronado Double Stack/15mm blocking solar scope.
The gear I brought along served well and captured remarkable images...
This time around, I am thinking about leaving the 8" home and bringing into service, the long tube 152mm with the Coronado riding on top...
In a test run on a rare clear day in February, the results are satisfactory..
Here in White light with an oversized Full Aperture Solar Filter, the results are solid.
There is a comfortable Field of View area around the solar disk to catch some of the streamers, yet close enough to capture solar features such as Sunspots, granulation and Faculae.
Last year, I attached a dovetail to the handle of the 152 in anticipation of attaching various scopes on top, especially the Coronado scope...and it works great with the ADM adapter providing a solid connection. This is the latest solar image with this set-up...
The intent is to attach a DSLR to both scopes and capture stills from 1st contact and video a couple of minutes just before Totality. I can always take stills from the video in post processing. There will be other cameras about: for ambience setting shots, running narrative and incidental captures during the event.
My original intent was to bring along the lighter weight CG-5 Mount, as shown above. It really works well and dependable, but the extra weight of the 152/Coronado combo is heavier and I'll feel more secure with the robust CGX mount to carry the load.
As for the filters......
The 152 Refractor does not have a dedicated filter and I have been using the oversized C8 full aperture filter in tests with good results. But, I will purchase Baader Solar filter sheets and construct my own frames to hold the material and to attach to the scope/cameras. Baader filters provide a more natural blue-white color and sharper contrast in both visual & imaging This over other types of filters that lend a orange-tint and softens the overall image, allowing the longer waves of the spectrum to dominate. Not a fan. I will also need filtering for my auxiliary cameras, but that will also be constructed with the solar filters. Looking around the net, the pricing on already built filters are going up in cost and demand availability is now apparent. I can save big bucks this way.
Also not a fan of...the large inconsiderate masses who elect to shout, yell, hoot, whistle, light fireworks and the obligatory "Oh my gods..!". More on this laters.
More shake out details later, but we are gettin' ready and testing out gear for the big event.
Astro Joe
