Total Solar Eclipse - Apr. 8, 2024

I couldn't pass this up. I had seen the 2017 eclipse, and was excited to experience another one. It was quite the chase, but it was all worth it in the end! I cancelled a flight to Texas, cancelled an airbnb in Saratoga Springs, then finally drove up all the way to Errol NH! The eclipse did not disappoint! As before, the build up to totality was a lot of fun, and the culminating cheers when it first appeared was an amusing backdrop to the central stage of the main visual event. This time, at the instant of totality, the Sun's corona popped into view, with a silent emphatic explosion that's difficult to put into words. I must have blinked at the wrong time back in 2017, but it's a moment (if I ever get another chance to witness it) I will try to never miss again! It was just the way it snapped into existence without a sound that made an impression on me that will likely never go away. Without doubt, the most spectacular part of this eclipse (for me) was the enormous naked-eye prominence that became visible on the left side of the Moon. It was a seering bright pink spot that steadily grew in size and intensity as the Moon in its orbit lumbered across the Sun's disk. This time, I had the wherewithal to use my image stabilized binoculars to get a close up of this incredible event. The only thing I regret is putting the binoculars down! What a beautiful event though to witness with your own eyes, with or without binoculars! At a mere 2 min and 14 seconds, totality came and went much too quickly. No doubt, the reason people fall in love with total eclipses is because they are different each and every time. In a world where the routine of everyday life can numb you into complacency, the uniqueness of each eclipse experience only emphasizes the need to witness the beauty of the world around us each and everyday we're alive.

All images shown here were taken using a Canon T3i with a Canon 70-300mm USM telephoto lens set to 300mm and (when not in totality) a filter made using BAADER AstroSolar® Safety Film 5.0. I used a StarWatcher tracker this time, so I would have a chance at catching Earthshine! Special thanks to Chad and Lyn for letting me set up on their beautiful property in Errol!

Showcasing: Earthshine

Designation: Earthshine Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/8sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: I really wanted to capture Earthshine this time... so I bought a tracker this time so I could use higher magnification and a longer exposure. Not great, but if you look carefully, you can see the surface of the Moon! Earthshine is light that is reflected from the Earth onto the Moon during the total eclipse. That's amazing right..?

Bailys-Beads-and-Prominence	Diamond	Partial-Eclipse
Designation: Bailys-Beads-and-Prominence Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/1000sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: This is a closeup of the prominence - freaking amazing or WHAT. The mottled perimeter is referred to as "Baily's Beads" - sunlight peeking out through the mountains on the Moon. I was hoping I would catch them this time!	Designation: Diamond Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/50sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: Finally, the diamond ring appears, and it's over!	Designation: Partial-Eclipse Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/2000sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: BAADER AstroSolar® Comment: Beautiful partial view, just as things got rolling!

Prominences	Corona-in-Totality	Corona-and-Prominences
Designation: Prominences Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/2000sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: More and more light peeks through as totality starts coming to an end.	Designation: Corona-in-Totality Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/8sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: The spectacular eclipse itself! As soon as the total eclipse finally started, the Sun's corona literally popped into view. It's a pretty neat effect... you would think it's this wispy fluctuating thing, but it's actually almost completely static and unchanging throughout totality. Venus, Jupiter were clearly visible to the right and left of the Sun, but the sky didn't seem as dark as it was in Tennessee in 2017, even though it was perfectly clear.	Designation: Corona-and-Prominences Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/160sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: During totality a *huge* bright pink prominence (flare) appeared on the left side of the black hole in the sky and persisted throughout most of the eclipse. It was clearly visible with the naked eye - awesome is the only word I would use to describe it.

Sunspots

Diamond-and-Prominences

Designation: Sunspots Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/500sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: BAADER AstroSolar® Comment: Again, at least 5 sunspots were visible during this eclipse, a single cluster of two close to the meridian, one small one to the right of it, and two closer to the Sun's top edge. There were also a number of faculae visible (bright spots) at about 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock towards the edge of the Sun. Pretty tame for a solar maximum!

Designation: Diamond-and-Prominences Alternate Name: NA Constellation: Pisces Imaging Date: April 8, 2024 Imaging Location: Errol NH Exposure Time: 1/1250sec Gain Setting: ISO 100 Imaging Device: Canon Rebel T3i Optics: 300mm Telephoto Focal Reducer: none Filter: none Comment: The end is near....the diamond beginning to form again from in between mountains on the Moon! I had 2 min and 14 seconds of totality!