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The image below shows the Second contact, the total phase of the
eclipse is just starting. The diamond effect is caused by the last
part of the sun's dusk just showing past irregularities in the
lunar surface. Once the bright diamond has gone it is safe to look
at the eclipse during the total phase without
any filters. At second contact even though the sun is practically 100%
covered it is still best to avert your eyes until the diamond ring has gone.
Click for DETAILS of how the images on this site were created. |
The image was taken using a 300mm lens with the filter removed.
For the diamond ring and the total phase the filter would block out nearly
all the available light. The exposure was 1/500 second at f/32. The sun is still
bright so a quick shutter speed and high f/ratio is needed or the image will be
overexposed. A lower exposure would have in fact have reduced the
corona and emphasised the ring effect more.
The half image is not artistic licence but demonstrates the problem of imaging the first diamond ring. As the filter needs to be removed it is not possible to look through the camera viewfinder in safety. The sun and moon do drift across the field of view and unfortunately in this case without correction had drifted that bit too far. |
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