The Taos Astronomer / Hands-On Observing Sessions and Instruction

Welcome to taosastronomer.com!

offering local "hands-on" observing
(visual and imaging) sessions and instruction
viewing and imaging from Rabbit Valley Observatory
a dark sky location on the mesa just west of Taos, NM

2017 Total Solar Eclipse as witnessed from Alliance, NE

Total Solar Eclipse Composite

Partial Eclipse In #1

Partial Eclipse In #2

10:29:35 MDT -- 1/1000th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter

10:51:35 MDT -- 1/750th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter

The partial stages were photographed through a reflective Baader solar filter -- such specialized solar filters are quite safe if placed in front of (not behind -- the filter would melt) the heat-generating optics. They can also be used visually. The resultant images are a rather harsh white, so I ran the digital images through Photoshop's #81 photo filter, intensity at 75% (quite high) to obtain a more pleasing, if not really accurate, yellow rendering.

One of the most interesting details of these partial shots, other than the typical Moon-moving-in-front-of-the-Sun phenomena, are the obvious sunspots.

Partial Eclipse In #3

Partial Eclipse In #4

11:36:17 MDT -- 1/750th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter

11:45:59 MDT -- 1/2000th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter

Second Contact / Diamond Ring #1

Second Contact / Diamond Ring In

click on image above for larger view and detailed description

Baily's Beads

Chromosphere

click on image above for larger view and detailed description

Inner Corona

Prominences

click on image above for larger view and detailed description

Outer Corona
click on image above for larger view and detailed description

Diamond Ring Out

click on image above for larger view and detailed description

Partial Eclipse Out #5

Partial Eclipse Out #6

11:55:11 MDT -- 1/750th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter

12:20:14 MDT -- 1/500th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter

Partial Eclipse Out #7

Partial Eclipse Out #8

12:26:49 MDT -- 1/1500th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter
note sunspots as discussed above

12:45:21 MDT -- 1/1500th second -- ISO 200 @ f/6 -- 480mm efl through Baader solar filter postprocessed using Photoshop #81 filter
note sunspots as discussed above

Please click on the images of totality to view larger versions and specific imaging data / many larger version titles accessed will link externally to interesting additional information on solar eclipses.

Please click this text to access additional personal information and a full description of the 2017 total solar eclipse, as seen from Alliance Nebraska, August 21, 2017.

click the rollover image above or this text to access astro-imager Willis Greiner's newest galleries of colorful original astrophotographs
-- these most recent astrophotographs taken using RVO's exemplary Explore Scientific 127mm apochromatic refractor

click this text to access Willis Greiner's original gallery #1 of astrophotographs / these images taken through RVO's original photographic instrument, the 80mm William's Optics Megrez achromatic refractor

click this text to access Willis Greiner's gallery #2 of astrophotographs taken through RVO's original 80mm Megrez achromatic refractor

click this text to access Willis Greiner's gallery #3 of astrophotographs taken through RVO's original 80mm Megrez achromatic refractor

click this text to access Willis Greiner's gallery #4 of astrophotographs taken through RVO's original 80mm Megrez achromatic refractor

click the solar eclipse rollover image above or this text to access astro-imager Willis Greiner's galleries of the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse as viewed / photographed from Alliance, NE -- field astrophotographs taken through RVO's Megrez 80mm achromatic refractor

click the solar eclipse image to the left or this text to access astro-imager Lawrence Greiner's galleries of the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse as viewed / photographed from Fredericksburg, TX -- field astrophotographs taken with a Nikon D3500 equipped with a zoom telephoto lens

to view Willis Greiner's gallery of montaged astro-images, click this text

to view Willis' and RVO's guest gallery of video-acquired astrophotographs, click this text


	To correctly and accurately view images such as those seen on this website, it is important to adjust your computer or device's monitor to the neutral gray scale above. First of all, every sector seen above should appear to be shades of a neutral gray -- gradually moving from black to white -- further, each segment should be independently visible, not "oozing into" one another. When your device is correctly calibrated (not so difficult) you will be able to view the images as they were created and intended to be seen.

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"The Imperative of Night" narrative