please let me know if you have any advice for Vern about tracking mounts
for photographing the eclipse. I have rearranged the thread so you can
read it from the top down
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Re: Telescope mounts
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2017 01:02:27 +0000
From: V B West <wes1234a@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Leah S <lphxaz@xxxxxxxxx>
On 7/23/2017 6:41 PM, V B West wrote:
Hi,
Why wife and I amateur photographers (pretty serious actually) and we will be
going to photograph the Aug 21 solar eclipse. I'll be using a 500 mm lens and
have been practicing tracking the sun using my photographic tripod and ball
head.
I have read quite a bit about the eclipse and techniques for photographing it
and I keep seeing references to using an equatorial mount. Realizing it is
pretty late to consider I am interested in learning about such mounts and if
one would make the tracking easier. How difficult will it be to learn to set it
up in the day time. It apparently wouldn't need to be terribly accurate since I
will only have to tack the sun for a few minutes (maybe 10 or so).
Any information that you could provide will be appreciated. You can call me if
you would like at 602 615-4085.
Thanks so much,
Vern West
Sent from my iPad
On Jul 23, 2017, at 22:25, Leah S <lphxaz@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Vern,
nice to hear from you!
the most important thing - do you have the right kind of solar filters?
regarding the question of tracking - are you planning to do this as a movie?
(in which case you would want the sun to be right in the center of the field at
all times) or as a series of stills? (in which case you can easily keep moving
the camera to keep the sun in view).
here is the most expert advice about eclipse photography:
http://mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html
and
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/how-to-photograph-a-solar-eclipse.html
Fred Espenak is THE expert.
my experience with photographing a previous solar eclipse (as a series of
stills) was that the shutter needed to be open only for a fraction of a second.
but without the right kind of filter, you can ruin both your camera and the
picture.
best regards,
Leah Sapir
PAS Member
