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Enhanced eclipse viewer/glasses.

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7 replies to this topic

#1 johanley

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Posted 12 April 2024 - 04:28 PM

I very much enjoyed the April 8, 2024 eclipse!

 

I have an idea for an improved eclipse viewer.

 

I viewed the eclipse with a flat card carrying the usual filters. You just hold it up to your face when viewing. (I prefer that "form factor" instead of the over-the-ear variety.)

 

My idea for improving on that is to enlarge it, and put relevant astronomical info on the two sides of the card. (I know how to compute all of the data.)

 

Attached to this post is a very rough sketch of what I'm driving at.

 

Any thoughts? Ideas for improvement?

 

- John O'Hanley [Prince Edward Island, Canada]

Attached Thumbnails

  • eclipse-tool-both-sides.jpg

Edited by johanley, 12 April 2024 - 04:30 PM.


#2 johanley

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Posted 12 April 2024 - 04:40 PM

I just thought of something: the planisphere probably shouldn't  have South at the bottom.

 

The bottom should be aligned with the azimuth of the Sun at mid-eclipse. That seems more natural.



#3 johanley

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Posted 12 April 2024 - 04:45 PM

The idea is that this would be an open-source software project. People could run the code and customize the output for their own circumstances. 

 

The code would include the Besselian elements for many different eclipses. 

 

A text config file would control the desired output - you would choose an eclipse, and a target viewing location, or set of locations.

 

The output would be a PDF file, that you would print on card stock paper.

 

You would need to cut out the holes, and glue in the filters.


Edited by johanley, 12 April 2024 - 04:47 PM.


#4 geovermont

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Posted 12 April 2024 - 05:54 PM

I think that all that stuff below the eyes would get in the way of my nose. I'll stick with the glasses. Also, although I myself tend to print out eclipse data, etc., very few of the people around me do. They've gone so completely digital that the thought of looking for information on a piece of paper is becoming increasingly uncommon to them.



#5 isutru

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Posted 14 April 2024 - 12:09 AM

Just a thought.....what if the eclipse glasses were not two individual filters, but a single filter that was one larger rectangle?



#6 johanley

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Posted 14 April 2024 - 03:31 PM

Sure, that's possible. It could be a simple configuration option.



#7 SporadicGazer

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Posted 14 April 2024 - 10:12 PM

Just a thought.....what if the eclipse glasses were not two individual filters, but a single filter that was one larger rectangle?

Already done without temple pieces, e.g:

 

https://agenaastro.c...d-5-bundle.html

https://www.rainbows...=41333978431535



#8 johanley

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Posted 29 May 2024 - 07:47 AM

I've written some code to produce this. 

 

The code isn't finished yet.

 

Attached is an example of its current output.

 

I've made changes from my original sketches.

Attached Files




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