Preparing for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, Pt. 4 (Star Tracker Tips incl. Daytime Polar Alignment)

Summary

In this video, Nico Carver discusses preparing for the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse, focusing on the use of a star tracker to keep the sun centered in the frame for the duration of the event. He explains the advantages of using a tracker, such as capturing rare phenomena like earthshine and longer exposures without blurring. Nico also covers the importance of practicing with the equipment, polar alignment techniques, and handling battery life. Additionally, he touches on the possibility of photographing the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks during the eclipse, providing tips on how to incorporate it into the shot using Stellarium for planning.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The video is part of a series preparing for photographing the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse, focusing on using a tracker or star tracker for capturing the event.
• 🔭 A star tracker helps keep the sun centered in the field of view throughout the eclipse, eliminating the need for manual repositioning due to Earth's rotation.
• 📸 Long exposures are possible with a tracker, capturing rare phenomena like earthshine during totality without blurring from the Earth's rotation.
• 💡 Earthshine is the reflection of light off the Earth and back onto the lunar surface, which requires long exposure to capture, potentially at the expense of overexposing the corona.
• 🌠 The total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024 offers a chance to photograph a potentially bright comet, 12P/Pon-Brooks, which will be about 25° away from the eclipsed Sun.
• 🎥 Using a smartphone app for daytime polar alignment is recommended for accurate tracking of the sun, provided that the phone's case with a magnet is removed to avoid interference.
• 🔧 It's crucial to ensure that the tracker remains stable and undisturbed once polar alignment is achieved to maintain accurate tracking during the eclipse.
• 🌞 For using a go-to mount like the Star Adventure GTI, it's necessary to bypass the sun safety feature and manually find the sun with a solar finder before enabling solar tracking.
• 🚫 The GTI's auto Meridian flip feature should be managed carefully to avoid disrupting the tracking during totality; options include flipping before or after totality depending on the location.
• 📷 Shooting in RAW format and processing with Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop provides more flexibility in adjusting exposure, which is beneficial for fine-tuning the eclipse photos.
• 🔋 It's essential to bring spare batteries for any digital equipment used during the eclipse to avoid power loss during the event.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Nico's video series?

The main topic of Nico's video series is preparing for photographing the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse.

What is the significance of using a tracker for photographing the eclipse?

A tracker, also known as a star tracker, is significant for keeping the sun centered in the field of view throughout the eclipse, compensating for the Earth's rotation, and allowing for longer exposures without blurring due to the Earth's movement.

What phenomenon can be captured with longer exposures using a tracker during the eclipse?

With longer exposures, one can capture rarer phenomena such as earthshine, which is the bit of light reflected off the Earth and back onto the lunar surface during totality.

How does Nico suggest calibrating the phone's compass for daytime polar alignment?

Nico suggests calibrating the phone's compass by moving the phone in a figure 8 pattern through the air with the compass app open.

What is the purpose of the 'observe Sun' feature on the GTI and how is it bypassed?

The 'observe Sun' feature on the GTI is a sun safety feature that requires users to confirm they have a proper solar filter on before pointing the telescope at the sun. It can be bypassed in the settings under advanced features by turning on 'observe Sun' and answering a math question for confirmation.

What is the issue with the GTI's auto Meridian flip during totality?

The auto Meridian flip on the GTI could potentially move the telescope to the other side during totality, which could result in missing most of the event. Nico suggests either flipping before totality or planning to slew to the other side after totality based on the location.

What is the significance of the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in relation to the 2024 total solar eclipse?

The comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which has a 70-year orbital period, will be about 25° away from the eclipsed Sun during the 2024 total solar eclipse. This presents a unique opportunity to potentially capture the comet, the eclipse, and other celestial bodies like Jupiter and Venus in the same frame.

How does Nico suggest using Stellarium to plan for photographing the comet during the eclipse?

Nico suggests using Stellarium to visualize the sky during the eclipse, adding the comet to Stellarium's database, and experimenting with different lenses to find a field of view that includes both the eclipse and the comet.

What advantages does shooting in Raw offer for photographing the eclipse?

Shooting in Raw offers more flexibility in post-processing, allowing for adjustments to exposure if the images are slightly overexposed or underexposed. This provides more latitude to achieve the perfect exposure with the particular lens, solar filter, and camera setup used for the eclipse.

What is the importance of having spare batteries for using a tracker during the eclipse?

Having spare batteries is crucial to avoid losing power during the eclipse, which could disrupt the tracking process and potentially result in missing important moments of the event.

How does Nico suggest handling exposure settings for photographing the eclipse?

Nico suggests using the same exposure calculator as in the previous video, adjusting the shutter speed as needed based on the specific lens, solar filter, and camera used, and starting with fresh batteries to ensure a stable power supply during the event.