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These images were taken in Dorridge, UK throughout a partial
eclipse of the sun on August 11th, 1999. 
The time of maximum eclipse was 11.17 local time (10.17UT); magnitude 94%.
These pictures were taken two years before I purchased my first telescope.
The view of the eclipse was not totally clear with frequent cloud cover. However the excitement and enthusiasm was very high and we could feel the temperature drop around the time of maximum eclipse.
I set up movie and 35mm cameras together with a pair of binoculars mounted on a tripod for projection viewing. Sun filters were fitted to the cameras and to our eyes when looking at the sun.
My wife also experimented, with some success, with our kitchen colander!
This montage shows the sun, sometimes with cloud, as we moved to, and just past, our maximum eclipse (94%).
35mm images with Canon EOS camera through a 210mm lens with sun filter.
Projected image through binocular
The
picture on the right shows the method of projection imaging with binoculars.
Only one eyepiece of the binoculars is used which are used in the reverse position to that for normal viewing.
The pizza pack provides an area of shade for good viewing of the projected image.
Image at 11.21am just after maximum eclipse
Maximum eclipse in Dorridge at 11.17am with 94% cover
Image at 12.09am Image at 12.18am Image at 12.28am
Image at 12.34am Image at 12.36am Image at 12.39am
Projected image through kitchen colander
Setting up the colander.
The partially eclipsed sun through the kitchen colander projected onto a white cardboard sheet and photographed.
Despite the basic equipment, great fun was had experiencing an event that I doubt I shall see again in my lifetime.
An annular eclipse occurred at dawn on May 31st 2003; this was full on the NW coast of Scotland but partial in the Midlands where I observed.
The sky was clear when I got up before dawn but there was much mist and low fog as I drove to an observation site. It took the sun nearly 30 minutes after sunrise to appear through the mist by which time the eclipse was nearing its end. However, a few pictures were taken with my Canon G1 Digital camera.
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Partial Eclipse of the Sun |
Partial Eclipse of the Sun |
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Partial Eclipse of the Sun |
Partial Eclipse of the Sun |
