Forum Discussion

MarkJFine's avatar
MarkJFine
Professor
8 years ago

The Camera method for viewing the eclipse...

...is an epic fail. This was during totality, around 14.40. The only way you can tell is the blue crescent from the lens reflection (refraction?) above the solar blur.Why this picture appears sideways... no one knows.

 

 

 

  • maratsade's avatar
    maratsade
    Distinguished Professor IV
    8 years ago

    MarkJFine

     

    1. Is the eye-looking thing the reflection?

    2. That's pretty underwhelming, given it's at totality.  I was watching it live on ABC and some people could see actual black disks with fiery rims. Very cool.

    3. Only the Shadow knows. 

     

     

    • MarkJFine's avatar
      MarkJFine
      Professor
      8 years ago

      dunno. apparently I was only in the 89% zone. thought it would be a lot more.

      1. yeah - if it weren't an accident that it's there, you'd never know it was an eclipse.

      2. it was. I mean, it got a little darker and wierder (because the sun was no longer a "point" source of light. but that was it for Central Virginia.

      • C0RR0SIVE's avatar
        C0RR0SIVE
        Associate Professor
        8 years ago

        I live pretty darned close to the path of totality, it was pretty darned dim at ~97%, dropped about 10F too.  Camera tricks usually only work if they have a UV lense or ability to filter UV out in the software, otherwise it just gets overwhelmed.  Because of the apparent $1 glasses going for $1000 on ebay, I ended up going with the shoebox method....

        I bet if you put a piece of thin paper in front of the camera to block the "rays" of light, it would have taken a better picture.