Solar Eclipse 2017
by: Mike Read
View the Solar Eclipse 2017 Slideshow !
On Saturday, August 19, 2017, Amy and I drove up to Denver, Colorado.
We met up with my long-time friend Kevin Stoelb and his wife Corey Hopper.
We got there at night, and spent the time getting things ready.
The next morning, we all drove up to Cheyenne, Wyoming in our trucks.
We headed to check out a spot we reserved outside the path of totality.
We stopped by Last Chance Camp, then proceeded on towards the centerline.
After stopping several times, we spotted a good location off the highway.
It turned out to be a family ranch that had filled to capacity,
but then opened up an additional field for people to camp at.
We had found a location at last!
It is located near Orin, Wyoming (between Glendo and Douglas), East of Casper.
After checking in and finding a spot, we set up camp and scopes.
I spent the night polar aligning my telescope, in between clouds and some rain.
I used the declination-drift method to get a near-perfect alignment.
This would ensure the Sun would not drift up or down throughout the eclipse.
Amy's Dad rolled in late at night.
I went to bed around 4 in the morning.
My parents found their way here in the early morning.
I began setting up around 7:00 am on Monday morning, the day of the eclipse.
I finished setting up my telescopes and cameras around 10:00 am.
My main setup was a Celestron 8-inch (C8) telescope with a Canon 80D DSLR camera.
I used a f/6.3 focal reducer to fit the Sun in the field of the crop-sized sensor.
I had my Canon T3i DSLR with a 600mm lens on a tripod for a wider shot.
I also had several other cameras recording pictures or video during parts of the eclipse.
Things went well, mostly, but I forgot to do a few things.
During totality, I did not change my camera setting dial from 'C1' to 'C2'.
This resulted in the same (mostly over-exposed) images as the partial phase.
Focus was not very good, much worse than my practice runs.
Some of the problem was vibrations from the wind and camera shutter.
Nonetheless, I was quite surprised how well they turned out!
After the eclipse was over, we wandered around the site and eventually left.
Traffic on I-25 back to Denver was very slow, so we took a back route out.
After breakfast the next morning, we visited family, then headed back to Tucson!
We all had a great time and it was an amazing experience!
Enjoy the pictures below!
- Mike & Amy
Map of Wyoming and the eclipse path (we were at the marker)
Map close-up with eclipse times
Traffic on I-25 on the drive to Wyoming
Welcome to Wyoming
Last Chance Camp where we stopped briefly
Setup in the field the night before
Corey, Kevin, Amy, Mike (and Ginger in front)
Other people in the field
Setting up before the eclipse
Amy's picture of the Sun with eclipse by internal reflection
Partially eclipsed Sun through telescope eyepiece
Telescopes and cameras setup
Amy and me looking up at the Sun
Pointing at the Sun
Pointing at the Sun in awe
Kevin pointing at our location on a map
Traffic on I-25 after the eclipse
Sunset that evening on the drive back
Through 600 mm lens:
11:40 - Crescent Sun
11:43 - Crescent Sun close-up
11:44:50 - Beginning of Totality
11:45:00 - Mid-Eclipse
11:47:10 - End of Totality
11:45 - Cat's eye (camera moved during exposure)
Through 8-inch telescope:
10:21 - Sun before the eclipse
10:25 - Sun 1 minute after start of eclipse
10:32 - Eclipse in progress
11:06 - Moon halfway across the Sun
11:43 - Crescent Sun just before totality
11:44:40 - Diamond Ring (and internal reflections)
11:44:45 - Beginning of Totality
11:45:00 - Mid-Eclipse
11:45:45 - Mid-Eclipse Flares
11:46:55 - End of Totality
11:47:10 - Diamond Ring
11:48 - Crescent Sun just after totality
11:48 - The Sun about 99% eclipsed
11:54 - The Sun about 90% eclipsed
12:35 - The Sun about 40% eclipsed
01:10 - Sun 1 minute before end of eclipse
Enhanced Pictures:
Partial Eclipse, enhanced (by Amy Read)
Total Eclipse, composite (by Amy Read)
View the Solar Eclipse 2017 Slideshow !