Tips for Total Solar Eclipse Videos

[BDanielMayfield]

For those planing to be in the path of totality on August 21 are there any tips for taking good recordings of this event? We have iPhone & iPad devices, and want to capture as much as possible of this rare astronomical treat.

Bruce

[Case]

As cool as some direct imaging is, I also love the projected images and the leaf-filtered ‘pinhole camera’ multi images.

[BDanielMayfield]

Thanks for that Case. I do have a spotting scope that I mainly use for birding, which could be used for projected images. I'd need to be extremely protective though lest someone tries looking directly through it during the partial phases. Maybe I'll set it up high in the bed of my pickup.

Bruce

[Fred the Cat]

Last eclipse I made a cap for my 4 inch reflector with safety film. It worked pretty well.

Hope the ISS astronauts get a decent view too.

[BDanielMayfield]

Thanks Fred. I wonder if there is a possible substitute like a very thin tin foil that could be used as a filter. I also don't want to overheat the inside of my spotting scope.

Bruce

[Chris Peterson]

Thanks Fred. I wonder if there is a possible substitute like a very thin tin foil that could be used as a filter. I also don't want to overheat the inside of my spotting scope.

No, that will be opaque. Full aperture solar filters are either glass or some kind of coated plastic. Almost everyone agrees that the Baader film works very well, maybe best. It's cheap and easy to work with. That's what I would suggest (and there is no concern about your scope getting warm or damaged).

[BDanielMayfield]

Thanks Fred. I wonder if there is a possible substitute like a very thin tin foil that could be used as a filter. I also don't want to overheat the inside of my spotting scope.

No, that will be opaque. Full aperture solar filters are either glass or some kind of coated plastic. Almost everyone agrees that the Baader film works very well, maybe best. It's cheap and easy to work with. That's what I would suggest (and there is no concern about your scope getting warm or damaged).

But if the spotting scope was used to project an image without the use of such a filter there would be a real risk of damage to the scope, right?

Bruce

[Chris Peterson]

Thanks Fred. I wonder if there is a possible substitute like a very thin tin foil that could be used as a filter. I also don't want to overheat the inside of my spotting scope.

No, that will be opaque. Full aperture solar filters are either glass or some kind of coated plastic. Almost everyone agrees that the Baader film works very well, maybe best. It's cheap and easy to work with. That's what I would suggest (and there is no concern about your scope getting warm or damaged).

But if the spotting scope was used to project an image without the use of such a filter there would be a real risk of damage to the scope, right?

Yes, you could damage the interior if your pointing was off, or even the eyepiece lenses if they are cemented together. But as long as the aperture is under a couple of inches, you're unlikely to have a problem.

[BDanielMayfield]

Well, better safe than sorry, so I think I'll go ahead and order a sheet of film then. One sheet could be used to make filters for my scope, binoculars, and even eyeglasses.

Thanks for the tips.

[BDanielMayfield]

But my initial question is about iPhones and iPads. Is it ok to video the sun with cellphones, etc.?

[Chris Peterson]

Well, better safe than sorry, so I think I'll go ahead and order a sheet of film then. One sheet could be used to make filters for my scope, binoculars, and even eyeglasses.

Thanks for the tips.

Note, however, that the film is for visual and photographic use. You can't use a filtered telescope for projection.

This is the one I made for my new refractor. The ripples look scary to anyone used to normal optics, but they're normal and cause no problems at all. If you try stretching the stuff out, that's when you may create issues. I made this on my 3D printer, but simple cardboard designs work just as well.

[Chris Peterson]

But my initial question is about iPhones and iPads. Is it ok to video the sun with cellphones, etc.?

You won't damage the devices. I doubt that the results will be very good, however. If those are your only options, you might consider an external lens to give you a much longer focal length.

[Case]

There are smartphone adaptors for optical instruments for sale. So that the lenses align well and they stay in position (no shaky hands).
Some are tailored towards specific model smartphone, but more often to a specific model scope. Some are for more general use and very adaptable. Some are easy to use and sturdy, some less so. Some are cheap, and eh, some should be considered with very frequent use, because of the price.
The Carson products seem to get good reviews (compared to similar).

[Case]

As cool as some direct imaging is, I also love the projected images and the leaf-filtered ‘pinhole camera’ multi images.

Just came across this image, that illustrates so well that there’s cool things to be seen, even without fancy equipment. Only hands. Sorry about the sandals.

[bystander]

How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse
Mr Eclipse | Fred Espenak | 2017 Jun 18

Tips on Preparing for the August 21 Total Solar Eclipse
Nikon USA | Featuring Fred Espenak | 2017 Jul 20

[bystander]

31 Days To Darkness: Eclipse Expert Finds Plenty Spaces in Campsites and
RV Parks for August 21’s Total Solar Eclipse, Warns Against Day Tripping
WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com | 2017 Jul 20

New guide launched to help eclipse-chasers to ‘Get To The Path’ hassle-free

Has America made its plans for August 21? The first Total Solar Eclipse to sweep across the USA for 99 years is set for August 21, 2017, but many people are yet to finalize their travel plans. Negative publicity about sold-out hotels and potential traffic is dissuading people from planning a trip. A new guide aims to redress the balance with a simple message––there is plenty of room for everyone who wants to experience Totality.

As the publication of the unique USA Eclipse 2017 Camping & RV Guide ebook proves, there are hundreds of places to pitch a tent, or park an RV, within the 70 mile-wide Path of Totality that arcs from Oregon to South Carolina. Until now, finding information on camping and RV parks has been difficult.

Jamie Carter, author of the guide, a travel and science writer who edits WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com, says: “A Total Solar Eclipse is coming to the U.S.––it’s time to camp out. You don’t want to have regrets about missing out on Totality because of speculative news reports. Eclipses always come with horror stories about sold-out hotels and predictions of traffic chaos. The reality is that there are thousands of places to camp or park an RV within the long Path of Totality in the U.S., and if you’re able to travel, you must, because experiencing Totality is like nothing else. A Total Solar Eclipse in your backyard is impossibly rare––Americans just don’t know how lucky they are.”

[bystander]

How to Photograph a Total Solar Eclipse
Photographing Space | Alex Conu | 2017 Jul 31

[bystander]

AAS Offers Updated Advice for Safely Viewing the Solar Eclipse
American Astronomical Society | 2017 Aug 01

In response to alarming reports of potentially unsafe eclipse viewers flooding the market as the coast-to-coast solar eclipse of August 21st draws near, the American Astronomical Society (AAS) has revised some of its safety advice to the public.

How can you tell if your “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers are safe? It is no longer sufficient to look for the logo of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and a label indicating that the product meets the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard for filters for direct viewing of the Sun’s bright face. Why not? Because it now appears that some companies are printing the ISO logo and certification label on fake eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers made with materials that do not block enough of the Sun’s ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation to make them truly safe. Some sellers are even displaying fake test results on their websites to support their bogus claim of compliance with the ISO safety standard.

Given this unfortunate situation, the only way you can be sure your solar viewer is safe is to verify that it comes from a reputable manufacturer or one of their authorized dealers. The AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force has been working diligently to compile a list of such vendors, now posted on its Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers page. Task-force members have checked manufacturers’ ISO paperwork to make sure it is complete and that it comes from an accredited testing facility, and they’ve asked manufacturers to identify their authorized resellers and dealers to identify the source of the products they’re selling. Only when everything checks out does the AAS add a vendor to its listing. ...

[MargaritaMc]

This article in Nature isn't about making videos, but about using the upcoming eclipse as a science outreach opportunity.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-017-0203

Scientists, funding bodies, educators and the media alike need to carry this momentum forward. We live in a particular historic moment where this thirst for accurate science and fascination for astronomical events clashes with a strong movement rooted in scepticism towards scientists and research, from climate change to vaccines. When budgets get squeezed, it is all too easy to cut funding for outreach, but where are the scientists of tomorrow going to come from, and how can we tilt the public balance towards a more positive view of science? Spectacular shows that nature gives us for free, like the upcoming solar eclipse, are the perfect opportunity for this purpose, and we must welcome and support any initiative promoting them.

[MargaritaMc]

PS. I've just discovered that this review article in Nature Astronomy by Jay Pasachoff, "Heliophysics at total solar eclipses", seems to be open access!
(But I've made a PDF copy of it in case the access is only temporary. I've experienced that with Nature occasionally.)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-017-0190