[Leica] IMG: Totality

[Douglas Barry]

Like Howard's earlier email, Peter, you've given us another excellent 
piece on why everyone should try and see totality at least once.

Douglas


On 23/08/2017 08:46, Peter Klein wrote:
> As I mentioned earlier, I did not attempt to photograph the total 
> solar eclipse seriously--I was more interested in seeing it than 
> messing with a camera.  But I did devote a few seconds to taking a 
> quick record shot with a pre-set camera. I used a 28mm-equivalent 
> lens, which was needed to show both the eclipsed sun and the earth 
> below.  For the best view, set your browser to full screen, then click 
> on the photo to enlarge.
>
> <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563@N04/36750483415/in/dateposted-public/> 
>
>
> This picture will give you some idea of the context, how the sky and 
> surroundings looked relative to each other, as I saw it.  As it's a 
> wide angle shot, the eclipsed sun is much smaller than it appeared to 
> the naked eye.  What you can't see is the incredible, intricate detail 
> of totality: red solar prominences, the inner corona, the faint, 
> ghostly outer corona with three brighter lines streaming off into 
> space for several solar diameters, and the moon faintly illuminated by 
> earthshine, its features just barely visible.  Not to mention the 
> planet Venus and the brighter stars clearly visible.
>
> Each of these things would require a separate exposure, as the total 
> dynamic range of the various features is greater than a camera can 
> record simultaneously.  The typical eclipse photos that show a black 
> moon with a thin corona are misleading.  The only photos that show 
> anything like what I saw are digital composites of multiple 
> exposures.  And even they often miss one feature or another.  Google 
> "solar eclipse composite" and you'll see what I mean.
>
> I took this shot shortly after the beginning of totality.  Then I did 
> a quick 360 degree turn to look at sunset-like colors around the 
> horizon (you can see a little of that in the photo).  I glanced 
> quickly at the stars when my wife exclaimed that she could see them. 
> Then I watched the eclipsed sun through a pair of 7x35 binoculars.
>
> None of the above conveys the emotions of what I saw. I've never seen 
> anything like it before.  As to what I felt, it was like the first 
> time I heard Mahler's Second Symphony.
>
> --Peter
>
>
>
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