Solar Eclipse April 2024
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Environmental Data
Date: April 8, 2024 Start Time: 2:00PM End Time: 3:30PM SQM:
Moon Age: 0.46 days Moonset: 7:31PM Moon Illumination: 0.24%
Temperature: Humidity: Dew Point:
Location: Lake Placid, NY Sky Condition: Scattered high thim clouds
Comment:
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Imaging Scope Data
Mount: iOptron CEM26 Camera: Nikon D7100 DSLR Focuser: None
Telescope: ES80 refractor Focal Reducer: None Filter: None
Rotator: None Power Control: None Dew Heater: None
Imaging Software
Mount Software: None Focus Software None
Control Software: None Platesolve: None Planning: None
Imaging Status
Imaging Software: Focus Platesolve:
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Guide Scope Data
Camera: Focuser: None Dew Heater: None Software: None
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Images Taken
Number of light frames: 1500 Duration: 1/100 Gain: F/6
Temperature: Binning: Gain: ISO 640
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Number of flat frames: None Duration: Gain:
Temperature: Binning: Gain:
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Number of Dark frames: Duration: Gain:
Temperature: Binning: Gain:
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Number of Bias frames: Duration: Gain:
Temperature: Binning: Gain:
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Imaging Processing
Imaging Processing Software: Photoshop
Processes utilized: Used Photoshop to crop, center, and adjust the levels. Used Cyberlink PowerDirector 15 to generate the time lapse video.
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Notes: My wife and I travelled to Lake Placid, NY to witness the total eclipse. Our grand daughter lives on a farm just north of Lake Placid so we were able to combine visiting with her and viewing the solar eclipse.
We arrived about 2 hours before the eclipse started to setup. I used my Explore Scientific 80mm refractor and iOptron CEM26 mount. Alignment was performed using iPhone Polar Alignment daytime application. It worked great and tracked the sun accurately.
I attached Nikon D7100 DSLR with a solar filter. Built-in intervalometer set for 30 seconds, and bracketing set for 5 shots (-1EV, -.5EV, nominal, +.5EV, +1EV).
Allowed the intervalometer to take images until totality. At that point I paused the intervalometer, removed the solar filter, and randomly took shots while watching the eclipse.
When totality was over I then reinstalled the solar filter and resumed intervalometer.
Solar Eclipse setup
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