Comet Neowise and Venus


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offering local "hands-on" observing
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a dark sky location on the mesa just west of Taos, NM


 

Total Solar Eclipse as observed for Alliance, NE -- August 21, 2017 / Personal Notes

In August of 2017, I planned on traveling somewhere in the United States to observe the total eclipse of the Sun. Its specific track of totality was straight across our country. After quite a bit of research (something I had done to a lesser degree for the other four total eclipses I had fortunately observed), I ascertained that I wanted this to be a family event shared with sons Seth and Larry and their families, but also an event attended by good friends Eddie Doyle, the Jerry Miller family from Cleveland, good friend John Puntney from the Denver area, and also some of Eddie’s extended family. I finally decided to observe from Alliance, Nebraska -- a rather unsexy location not all that far from the Denver area, where both of my sons, their partners, grandchildren and many friends also resided. So, all in all, eighteen of us made the trek up to a modest motel slightly south of the eclipse line, and then northward on the 21st (eclipse day) to our observing location, a reserved spot in an open park adjacent to the Alliance Berean Church. Eddie went up to our spot the night before, and John and I stayed an extra night after the eclipse just to avoid traffic and take in a bit of the fine residents of the rural Nebraska town of Alliance. A great time was had by all!

There is certainly great advantage to the new (for me with solar eclipses) DSLR digital realm. You can immediately see what you get, and quickly adjust accordingly. Also, in post-processing, there is more opportunity to tweak the images to balance the exposures and bring out more detail at totality. This post-processing subject is far more complex than what is presented here; suffice it to say that, although certainly still challenging, the digital approach is easier, more effective and more photographer-controlled than the old film/enlarge/print method.

 

"Waiting for Godot" -- daughters-in-law Jaci Greiner and Kelly McGoun
older son Seth Greiner
good friends Roberta and Jerry Miller from Cleveland

I always worry about the participants looking at the Sun during the potentially dangerous partial phases, but everyone here did well, especially the children. And near totality, I decided off-the-cuff to have Seth operate the Celestron C-5 visual telescope, while Larry and Jaci lined up the kids for a view. Due to Seth’s expertise, he successfully removed the filter and amazingly all eighteen of us got to look through the C-5 (this vintage ‘scope is absolutely outstanding –- it was the first time I used it) –- I got up during totality and nonchalantly walked over, asked if everyone had looked, and then peered through the C-5 myself before going back to the Megrez 'scope for more photographs and then the re-filtering of that photographic unit for the outgoing partial phases.




younger son Larry Greiner, good friend John Puntney, Millers' son Jerod Miller

Note that everyone observing the Sun's partial stages is using filters -- also note that to John's left are the two filtered telescopes used -- to John's immediate left is the Celestron visual unit with metal tripod; behind (with the wood tripod) is the Megrez photographic 'scope.



"Three Generations of Eclipse Observers" © Ed Doyle

featuring Charles Greiner (grandson) viewing, Larry Greiner (son) explaining to confused astrophotographer Willis Greiner (father) as to the use of the equipment.


"Nature's Greatest Spectacle / Final Thoughts"

Although a little intense, the set-up that morning went well and with confidence, especially given that we drove through thick ground-clinging fog on the way north from Sidney, Nebraska. As we entered Alliance, the sky started to clear as large groups of observers began to set up; nevertheless, it didn’t really seem all that crowded. By 10:30 AM or so on August 21, 2017 (just as the partial stages started) we were all quite ready in the church’s grassy field, and, by that time, the sky had virtually cleared. Near the end of the partial stages, some clouds did appear, albeit thin ones. The first “Diamond Ring #1” image shows these clouds, which quickly dissipated right at second contact.

As the eclipse approached second contact, it got a little cooler/breezy -- I asked Seth and Larry -- both remembered that the same thing happened in Mexico in 1991. Then, just before second contact, the weird 360-degree lighting appeared; we attempted, without success, to see the shadow bands on the grass. There was a great emotional tension as I went back to the camera (of course) and totality began, first with the spectacular "Diamond Ring,"then "Baily’s Beads," and then the magnificent and otherworldly "Outer Corona." After some subdued cheering from hundreds of observers, the field went completely silent, as it always does and should. The occurrence, often described as a “religious event” is, in fact, the “most spectacular thing you will ever see.” Its beauty stunned everyone.

We noticed that the streetlights went on (not a big problem) and many folks observed Venus to the right and above the Sun with Jupiter to the left and below. I was a little too busy with the photographs, but I did look up and enjoy the event visually more this time than ever before. I couldn’t discern the large prominences without optical aid.

Of course it ended, as it always does, after the proverbial “8 seconds of totality.” (Really, here in Alliance it was 2 minutes 30 seconds -- still, of course, far too short a time.) After snapping the last unfiltered shot and covering the Megrez’s photographic optics, I got up and wandered over to the next group of observers, comfortably-seated seniors who had never seen such an eclipse. I certainly projected my awe-struck condition to them and tearfully noted that to me this was an especially profound eclipse, due in large part because it was a multi-generational family trip. That was the most important aspect of the 2017 total eclipse of the Sun.

Update -- I have now committed to and am beginning to plan an expedition to observe and photograph the total solar eclipse in December of 2020. I will be traveling to Chile and meeting up with my old friend Barry Miller (twin of Jerry Miller as pictured above). I will continually update my planning notes here.


"A Family Affair" -- Larry and Jaci Greiner's family consisting of:
Tiffani Bell, Timothy Julian (seated), AnnaMarie McClain, Illona Greiner and Charles Greiner (wearing 1991 "The Big One" tee shirt); all sporting safe eclipse-viewing glasses.




Ghosts of Christmas Past

The above images and conversation were extracted from Willis' new book.

Please click this text or the image to the left to access Willis' newest book -- Ghosts of Christmas Past -- a book of photographs and essays. The book chronicles more than thee decades of curiosity, discovery and celebration -- archived through the family's annual Christmas card featuring Willis' evocative images of natural wonders. Included are photographs of magnificent unique and endangered wildlife, spectacular scenics and (most appropriate here!) astronomical phenomena. Most years the holiday cards also featured essays describing these wonders literally. Click and review the book -- I hope you enjoy it!

 

 


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