Eclipse prep 2017

With only 4 days to go I'm going to get into the details of preparation for photographing and enjoying (hopefully not mutually exclusive activities...)

This will include calculating ( or looking up) precise observation times, definitions, experimenting with several cameras and lots of wine.

Stay tuned... this is a developing story.

Here's an app that came highly recommended. $1.99+tx.
SolarEclipseTimer app <<<

With just a couple minutes practice I had it find my location and calculate a few event times.

Definitions HERE <<<

1st Contact: Don't look yet!

first contact — during a solar eclipse, the moment that the Moon makes contact with the Sun; the beginning of the eclipse.

Here at 908 Valley Drive that will be 11:52:39  (AM)

second contact — during a total solar eclipse, the moment the Moon covers 100 percent of the Sun’s disk; the instant totality begins.

Here at 908 Valley Drive that will be 13:20:21  = 1:20:21 PM  Start looking

third contact — during a total solar eclipse, the instant totality ends.

 Here at 908 Valley Drive that will be 13:22:52 = 1:22:52 PM

fourth contact — during a solar eclipse, the moment that the disk of the Moon breaks contact with the Sun; the end of the eclipse.

Here at 908 Valley Drive that will be 14:47:37 = 2:47:37 PM

That means the event actually lasts 2 hours 54 minutes and 58 seconds?  Will confirm.

Continuing:   It is now 11:54 on Thursday.   I went out to check the sun position.  OK... Interesting observation. Good time to realize how tall our trees are and just where we can be standing at 11:52 when the "First Contact: happens. We are in good shape. Pics to follow.

 This video was today about noon.  This confirms one thought... the sun (at least with some cloud-cover) isn't going to destroy a go-pro.

Here's a panorama showing the open sky area from back by the garden.

Continuing with my search for information on shooting the moon (as it were...)  this turned up from Nikon:  http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/how-to-photograph-a-solar-eclipse.html

Here is an exposure guide which is referred to by the above article.

http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/image/SE-Exposure1w.GIF 

Exposute intervals?   Here are some calcs:

hr	min	sec
2	54	58
7200	3240	58	10498	"/3=	3499.333333
			10498	seconds	15	second interval =	699.8666667	frames
			10498	seconds	10	second interval =	1049.8	frames

My camera, when tethered to the computer, can be set to take time lapse pics.  When bracketing each frame is the next setting in the bracketing process.  ie:  Frame 1 is under exposed, frame 2 is correct exposure, frame 3 is over exposed.  If I use the 10 second interval I will essentially have 349 sets of photos at each exposure setting.

Then I will have second camera (with much shorter focal length lense) to take pics along the way.