17 replies to this topic

[Cpk133]

What does totality look like through unfiltered optics?  In 2017, i only viewed naked eye and was able to see pink / violet (assuming it was prominence) along the limb.  I’m thinking I’ll setup my 80mm with either the 24mm 68 degree or binoviewer and some 7x35 binoculars and set a timer to give me a good margin of error to stop everyone from observing.  I have to admit, I was afraid to use binoculars at the last one, I’ve since read enough to convince me it’s safe to do.  

Can you see earth shine on the moon?

Edited by Cpk133, 04 April 2024 - 09:25 PM.

[BJS]

I viewed the 2017 eclipse through a 6"f5 reflector.... the view during totality was incredible. Looking forward to doing it again. I don't remember seeing any earth shine.... but I wasn't looking for it since totality was only 2 min or so.

[swmavocet]

It will blow your socks off.  In 2017 I had about a 5 second look through my old C8 I hardly ever use.....and has a crappy mount with no tracking drive.  I could not keep the sun centered because the mount had too much slack when I released my grip.   In all the excitement, shaking hands, yelling, I didn't even get to my binoculars .   

 

THIS time it is bins and a spotting scope (well mounted) I use for birding.

 

What I saw was the most incredible network of lace magnetic lines I never imagined possible.  This is the best representation of what I remember I've seen:

https://petapixel.co...xmouth-eclipse/

 

My advice is suppress the yelling and celebrating and spend every second glued to an eyepiece.  This will be hard to do in a crowd when the energy builds and then is released suddenly.        I plan no photos, just recording memories. 

 

Good luck!

Steve

[Chris K]

Wow I didn't know I can view with optical instrument during totality. Do you recommend a certain TFOV or recommend higher magnification?

[geovermont]

Unless you've got tracking going on, you want a low power/wide field of view. There's little time for fussing around and trying to get the sun in the field of view, so whatever you use, make sure it's a rig that you can point quickly and confidently. Just plain old binoculars of 6 to 10 power are really easy to use and quite effective for this. I'll have my favorite pair of 6 x 30s around my neck to use (if I remember).

[Classic8]

Wow I didn't know I can view with optical instrument during totality. Do you recommend a certain TFOV or recommend higher magnification?

I was trying to figure this out myself. I think I'm going to stay at 13 or 16 power with a 32mm or 26mm eyepiece. Not sure which, I just want to leave quite a bit of room around the sun for the corona so it's framed nicely. If there are nice prominences I might want a little more power. I wish I had a zoom eyepiece in that range, I don't fancy spending time switching eyepieces during totality. I do have tracking so it will be a little easier. 

 

I'll probably end any telescope viewing after no more than 2.5 minutes (out of just over 4 minutes) to be safe.

Edited by Classic8, 05 April 2024 - 02:27 PM.

[JimV]

Binoculars 8x56 during 1991 eclipse were great.  Hot pink solar prominences.

2017 I used 20x80 on a tripod.  It was great, but I just don't remember it like 1991.

This time I will use 12x50 hand held and I'm sure it will be fine.

[whatshisname]

It will blow your socks off.  In 2017 I had about a 5 second look through my old C8 I hardly ever use.....and has a crappy mount with no tracking drive.  I could not keep the sun centered because the mount had too much slack when I released my grip.   In all the excitement, shaking hands, yelling, I didn't even get to my binoculars .   

 

THIS time it is bins and a spotting scope (well mounted) I use for birding.

 

What I saw was the most incredible network of lace magnetic lines I never imagined possible.  This is the best representation of what I remember I've seen:

https://petapixel.co...xmouth-eclipse/

 

My advice is suppress the yelling and celebrating and spend every second glued to an eyepiece.  This will be hard to do in a crowd when the energy builds and then is released suddenly.        I plan no photos, just recording memories. 

 

Good luck!

Steve

Agreed!  Good advice.  I made the same mistake 7 years ago.  This time, I'm planting myself on the ground, staring straight at the eclipse and do all my jabbering with people around me after the main event.

[whwang]

I am going to use a 8x32 binocular.  Does anyone know when is it safe to view it through the binocular?  Of course I think it will be safe during the totality.  But how about within 2 sec from C2 or C3?  Is it safe to see the last bit of the Baily's Beads through the bino?

[WadeH237]

For the 2017 eclipse, I had both binoculars and my DSLR on neck straps.

 

I had preset the camera so that all I needed to do was point-and-click.  Just after the start of totality, I held up the DSLR and went click-click-click-click-click-click, and then released it.  I grabbed the binoculars and looked.  I decided that I preferred the naked eye view to see it in context of everything around.  So I released the binoculars and just soaked it in.

 

If we get a break in the clouds, I will do the same thing this time.

[Cpk133]

I am going to use a 8x32 binocular.  Does anyone know when is it safe to view it through the binocular?  Of course I think it will be safe during the totality.  But how about within 2 sec from C2 or C3?  Is it safe to see the last bit of the Baily's Beads through the bino?

No, do not chance any direct sunlight.  I’ll be giving myself 30 sec margin (if i can get lucky with the weather). Only use optics during totality.   This is the only thing i could find published on the matter and its kind on nonchalant:

 

https://www.astronom...e-step-by-step/

Edited by Cpk133, 06 April 2024 - 10:04 PM.

[swmavocet]

With the excitement your hands will be shaking. Heart will be beating hard so no help. Make sure and practice bracing your arms against your chest or knees if on ground or in lounge chair for steadiest views even through only 8x. Even leaning against a car or post ..tree helps steady things esp in high wind. On magnification anything over 25x is too much IMO. If you have a telescope know the controls well and be ready to smoothly move from filter on to filter off without changing the position. You cannot center an unfiltered scope on the sun before totality and trying to find the sun in the eyepiece after it starts wastes precious time. I would not risk your eyesight viewing unfiltered . The beads and ring are neat but the corona and prominences are the best i think.

 

 

 

Steve

[swmavocet]

https://imaging.niko...also effective..

[bill w]

as a counterpoint, i viewed the 2017 eclipse briefly through binoculars canon10x50.  it was my first total eclipse and i found the wide view of a black hole in the sky so overwhelming that i thought something like: why the heck to i have a pair of binoculars between me and a direct view of god? i put them down and enjoyed the direct view.  maybe 4 minutes will give me enough time to calm down

[WadeH237]

as a counterpoint, i viewed the 2017 eclipse briefly through binoculars canon10x50.  it was my first total eclipse and i found the wide view of a black hole in the sky so overwhelming that i thought something like: why the heck to i have a pair of binoculars between me and a direct view of god? i put them down and enjoyed the direct view.  maybe 4 minutes will give me enough time to calm down

I agree with this, 100%.

[dcaponeii]

Speaking from the experience of having had an eyepiece-mounted solar filter catastrophically fail on me during full Sun observations back in the 1970's, while there was damage to the back of my retina, everyone is grossly over-blowing the risks with the unaided eye!!   A brief glance even to the full noon-day Sun is not an issue, nor is a casual glance during the eclipse.  When tested I now have TWO blind spots in the affected eye, one where the optic nerve attaches to the retina, and the second where the retina was damaged by the focused rays of the Sun.  However, during normal viewing, astronomical viewing, and any other kind of viewing the effects have been and still are invisible!!

[Chris K]

I’m planning on a 50mm Borg at 30x for pre-totality plus my Lunt Sunoculars and of course eclipse glasses.

For totality I have my 60mm refractor and I bought a SVBONY 8-24mm zoom (15x–45x) plus a pair of 8x42 binoculars.

But I agree with the sentiment that time fiddling is time wasted. In 2017 my answer to friends on whether I was taking pictures was “there’s 40 million people taking photos, surely someone will have one I can look at”.

Good luck to everyone. This is way too stressful LOL.

[Cpk133]

In 2017, i was 100% naked eye and checked all the boxes.  I have pretty bad astigmatism and that kind of spoiled the view a little bit.  I had 10x50s around my neck and never used them, mostly because i didnt do the research and was worried i might harm my vision.  I remember seeing a conspicuous prominence and really wanted magnification.  I’m not worried about any shaking, I don’t get buck fever