Nice idea, thanks for sharing it!

One place not to store the filter during totality is on the lens. I did that in 2017. Once I thought of it, I just watched.

Good idea!

I live about an hour from the center point of the October Eclipse. I am definitely using it as a test run. Since almost everything I have is new form 2017, I will probably find all kinds of problems.

I did this and I learned a lot. 1) Normal OD 5.0 (15.5 stop) viewing safe solar filters block too much light in my opinion. I had to bump my ISO up to 640 just to get 1/10th-1/100th of a second shutter speeds. I bought some baader planetarium astrsosolar PHOTO film OD 3.8 (12.5 stops). It is NOT viewing safe but is safe for the camera. I used this on my backup camera and shot handheld, 1/6400th F13 ISO 100 at 560mm. These images turned out tack sharp and showed more detail than my 1120mm setup on an equatorial mount with the ~1/50th second shutter speeds I was getting. 2) the wind was blowing hard which was causing motion blur in my slow shutter speed 1120mm setup, it had no affect on my handheld shots due to the super fast shutter speeds. I will still try and get out of the wind next time. 3) I set timers on my phone for my interval to shoot but I had to drive an extra ~80 miles the morning of to get out of the clouds so my timer was slightly off. I will make sure timer is set for exact location. 4) Shoot at 2-3 times the interval you need for your final composite image. I only needed an image every 10 minutes to end up with 13 image composite. I shot every 5 minutes and I'm glad I did. At one interval the sun was completely blocked by clouds, but since I shot every 5 minutes I used every other image (skipped the cloudy one) and it worked out. 5) Shoot multiple images at each interval so you have better odds of getting a tack sharp one. I took five, 3 shot bracketed images every 5 minutes. 5) While trying to drive out from under the clouds I ended up 11 miles off of the centerline of the eclipse. In my ring of fire image, the moon is not perfectly centered (one side of the suns ring is just slightly wider than the other). It is enough to slightly annoy me but most people would not even notice (not near as bad as I thought it would be). I feel like if you are within 3 miles of the centerline you should get a evenly spaced ring (should not matter as much during a total eclipse I think).

@@mdees88had to do the same thing because of a pretty bad cloud cover luckily only sacrificed 14 seconds of the annular part

A few thoughts maybe for the next video in this series: what about camera settings A/P/M mode during the eclipse? And what about metering? I don’t think matrix metering is the best for this High Dynamic Range event. Also is it possible and desired to make Bracketed images. Thanks ever so much Nico!

Thanks Ian!

I think the solar film is actually designed to have wrinkles in it from something I read from the makers. The purpose made ones have wrinkles so suggests that's the way to go.

Maybe diffraction from the turbulent atmosphere, if I was guessing

These sound like shadow snakes! Destin from smartereveryday explained and tried to capture the phenomenon back in 2017 I believe.

@sonicbrush aka shadow bands

These are the edge diffraction bands, but these are typically several feet across and moving fast❤

Yes! Exactly 💯 Well Said! We have no idea be very Vigilant!! Oh my god!!

Good point Gordon! And thank you for the kind words on the video. I have several more ideas for this series, including full practice walk-throughs using the three kits I covered here. I will definitely go into more depth on use of your app in those future videos. I just added the link to your website in the description. Cheers, Nico

Great info!

@@NebulaPhotos , I would like that video as I would be in the kit 1 camp. I plan on using a mirrorless camera with a Canon rf 100-400 lens. Shooting tips with exposure settings would be very useful to us novices in the Astro World! Great two part series. My wife and I enjoyed it!

I'm sure it could work. I don't have any suggestions as I've always just made them with cardstock, glue and tape as shown.

I haven't made a recommendation because I'm still exploring myself. Last time I used Solar Eclipse Maestro on a Macbook, which I really loved. Unfortunately, Xavier is not making an M1/M2 version of the software, so I'm seeing how easy it is to virtualize an old version of MacOS to run the software, or if I want to switch to Eclipse Orchestrator (PC) or something else.

@@NebulaPhotos I'm looking forward to your recommendations on software automation. I really wish there was an option for astronomy cameras. However, it seems like that is not an option.

I haven't found any eclipse automation software that supports astro cameras. If I do, I will share it on the channel. Until I find something like that, I'm assuming the best camera for the eclipse will be a DSLR/MILC supported by the automation software you plan on running. You could always use a QHY or ZWO and not use eclipse automation software, but it would be hard to get something as precise as Bailey's beads without software written specifically for eclipse timing.

I agree not to rely on Sharpcap for the kind of precise timing and full automation we are after. Your really want dedicated eclipse automation software for this. I'm planning to use CaptureEclipse, and it does report supporting the 90D, but it's a MacOS program. The only ones I know of for Windows are Eclipse Orchestrator and SETnC, but neither have the 90D on their supported cameras list. You might still want to try SETnC since it's free to see if it can control your Canon.

No, an EQ mount is not necessary. An Alt-Az mount or star tracker is fine too. Anything that can reliably hold the telescope and track the sun.

Great! Did you do some kind of timelapse with your photos?

@@brasilemfotosevideos2737 No I didn't, but tried doing an HDR image of totality using GIMP. It sort of looked OK, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting. This was probably caused by the small sensor on the camera. I should be using a Fujifilm X-S20 next year and that one has a larger sensor with 26MP and expect to have higher quality images. That camera can also auto bracket 9 images.

Yes, an astrophotography friend of mine, Alex Hawkinson, captured 28 hours on it with his Planewave and let me process the data. Here's the result: www.astrobin.com/3stv25/

@@NebulaPhotos The link ins't working, did you delete it?

@@original0ri Weird - it's working for me even logged out - if you go to my profile here: www.astrobin.com/users/2ghouls/ do you see it? 2nd photo in the grid

The original link works for me!

I live in Conway, AR. That’s my only concern from a viewing standpoint. I plan to set up in my driveway & enjoy the show.

1. I'm still reviewing all the options, but some that I know of: Eclipse Orchestrator, Solar Eclipse Maestro (this is what I used previously, only runs on old MacOS), Set'N'C 2. Only in a limited sense - ASIAir won't be able to trigger the camera precisely enough to get all the different eclipse events 3. Filter is off for those

To answer my own question for anyone reading through the comments: what I've found is that if the sun drifts up, alignment is too far west. Try nudging your tracker east a couple of degrees. If the sun drifts down, alignment is far east. Nudge your tracker west a couple of degrees. I believe the goal with using the daytime alignment software or a basic compass adjusted for declination is to get an initial close starting point. Then fine-tune it as you go. When you're way off, you'll see noticeable drift in the first couple of minutes. As you fine tune it, it will take more time to see the drift. My strategy would be to do a final centering ~10 minutes out from totality.

In my experience, no. Every Baader astrosolar filter I've seen has that bit of wavy-ness to it, as it's not designed to be stretched taut. I haven't heard of any problem using it at high focal length. Many accomplished solar photographers have used it at high focal length for ISS transits very successfully.

Coming soon (in the next week) in part 4. Will be in this playlist: kzfaq.info/sun/PLrzbdmripj1fiZT1_XvxASYDQmEUH_J_a&si=MJAQdNvF8amFkzf9

1. Nope the wavy-ness is expected and the material is not meant to be stretched taut. It doesn’t affect the images 2. I haven’t had any issues but someone below in the comments mentioned making a reflective disk for keeping direct heat off the camera. Maybe a good idea

@@NebulaPhotos Thanks for the speedy reply! I appreciate all the great videos.

To save time. It’s much faster than trying to line up the camera by eye, just using the screen. The eclipse glasses make everything dark except the sun, so it’s hard to line things up with them on. The solar finder will make a process that can take minutes, only take a few seconds with practice. More essential if tracking the sun manually, but useful with any setup.

@@NebulaPhotos Thanks so much! Guess I have a shopping trip to Home Depot in my future!

The sun is tiny (0.5 degrees) and surprisingly hard to get in your field of view, especially if you have a non-zoom telephoto or telescope . If you're using the viewscreen you need to have solar glasses off, btw.

Unfortunately, that project is on hold because I ended up not liking the angle from the house so I think it will make more sense to build my observatory window with the analemma in mind, but now I have to build the observatory first, which is another huge project. :)

You do not need an internet connection to use the Solar Eclipse Timer app. If your iPad is a 'wifi only' model (no GPS chip built in) you will need the exact GPS coordinates for your location, and input those into the app manually.

I doubt it. That would be a huge amount of work to develop. I think it would be much easier for one of the existing eclipse automation softwares to support the astro cameras, but so far I haven't found any eclipse automation software that supports astro cameras. If I do, I will share it on the channel. Until I find something like that, I'm assuming the best camera for the eclipse will be a DSLR/MILC supported by the automation software you plan on running. You could always use your ZWO and ASIAir for the eclipse, but it would be hard to get something as precise as Bailey's beads without software written specifically for eclipse timing.

Yep, here you go: kit.co/nebulaphotos/total-solar-eclipse-kit-1-basic/rotary-circle-cutter

Any white light solar filter MUST go on the front before any lens or mirror. Binoculars and a Dobsonian couldn’t share a filter as the size would be so different. Unless you made a custom aperture mask for the dob that the filter fits over. Even in that case, I wouldn’t mess around with shared filters. Be safe and create/buy filters for each optic you want to use. In general, If you are a beginner and unsure about this stuff, I’d suggest connecting up with your local astronomy club to get more help. These videos are more about the photography side of things and I don’t really do visual astronomy myself.

ND filters may work, but it’s usually easier to just get a solar filter as you want something easy to take off at totality. If you do use an ND filter(s) you need ND100,000 (equivalent to 16.6 stops)

@@NebulaPhotos thanks for getting back to me. Cheers.

I’ll cover this in a future video. As it stands right now, I’m not aware of any software that works with dedicated astronomy cameras and does synchronization with the eclipse events. This is the main reason why no one uses them for this

They should work if designed for solar photography specifically. I can't comment since all my filters are made with the stuff I show in the video. I find it much easier for a total solar eclipse since the filters come off. For the Annular, where the filter never comes off, a screw-on filter like you are talking about should work just fine.

@@NebulaPhotos i was thinking i would get one of each, and borrow a friends identical camera, but i only have one lens...maybe i can find one to rent...

Circle doesn’t have to be perfect. I think my ‘collar’ is long enough that even a very windy day wouldn’t blow it off, but it is a good reason to make the filter reasonably snug (but not tight or it will be too hard to remove gracefully for totality)

Thanks a million for the speedy response

Yes, I suggest using it. I cover how I plan to use it in part 4: Preparing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, Pt. 4 (Star Tracker Tips incl. Daytime Polar Alignment) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/sMx8Y9OZ1a-3cYE.html

Correct! I should have mentioned in the video. The surface will look a bit wavy with this style of filter. You don't attempt to stretch taut. I don't think 'creases' is quite the right word, just 'not stretched'.

Yes, I will be doing full walk-throughs with each kit. The one at 6:38 could technically be done with any of the three kits, but will be much easier with kit 2 or 3. The one at 7:36 is a more advanced kind of image blending several different features of the corona, that I would only attempt with automation software. But yes, all of this will be covered in upcoming videos in the series.

@@NebulaPhotos great...i plan to take my 2i, all my lenses and my MAK. Thanks for the videos!

I wouldn't advise that (a square collar). You want the collar to be round to avoid possible light leaks that could fry your sensor. If you don't want to use cardstock / construction paper, there are other materials that can work like PVC pipe, but cardstock is easiest to work with.

@@NebulaPhotos Gotcha. I was looking for cardboard tubes today....surprise, no one carries them.. PVC sounds like a better option - easier at least.

@@NebulaPhotos who knew that astrophotography required some grade school arts and crafts projects. Luckily i still have my calipers from my sheet metal manufacturing days...i do NOT miss those days. But the calipers were $300 sooo they stay with me.

Probably not. For me, the partial eclipse shots are not that interesting, and the point of the solar filter is just to find and focus on the sun before the main event (totality) where the filter is removed. If the partial eclipse images are important to you and the rubber cement shows up, it may be worth remaking the filter if you have enough material.

@@NebulaPhotos, thank you so very much! Any reason not to try a little acetone on a Q-tip? I've watched the video 5 times to try to get it right! Thank you for it!

The wrinkles have zero effect on the image or safety.

You need solar film or a 16.5 stop (ND100000) glass filter.

Okay thanks. I got confused since on the exposure calculator chart you demonstrated on Javier Jubier's website, some of the first button options for partial eclipse talk about ND 5 and ND 6 filters. I've ordered some of the solar film as well and will do some tests in the next couple days. I'll be shooting from Llano, TX which looks to be a sweet spot.@@NebulaPhotos

@@zachryall2527Gotcha, yes, I agree that's confusing. Different terminology with your typical photographic ND filters and solar filters. In that case the ND 5/6 is referring to the optical density, not the number of stops.

Exactly! I will do some full 'practice run' videos in this series showing this.

Good tip!

Try to get it as straight as possible, but you don't want it to be taut, so some waviness is expected. I don't see an issue in the images.

The safest is to get a solar filter. While a 10+6 ND filter would *likely* work, I'm not sure how well they are blocked in the Infrared, and therefore wouldn't risk it. Solar filters are still in stock today. You don't have to make a custom one like I show in this video, there are pre-made ones that will work.

Thanks.@@NebulaPhotos

@@DR-fy7qy If you are still looking, I just bought a Tiffen ND 5.4 18 stop filter from B&H - a special 50th anniversary edition. It says it limits infrared and ultraviolet and is multi-coated to reduce glare. The filter is a bit pricey though ($59.95). If you go for it, be sure to order the correct size because there are no returns or exchanges.

Thanks for the info. Looks like you got a great deal. Soon after I posted my question a month ago, I ended up getting a Kase Magnetic Solar filter since I already own a kit. Have fun with your solar eclipse shoot.