The Partial Solar Eclipse on June 21st was a sober affair at Planetarium. This was due to social distancing in the middle of Corona virus situation. Planetarium had arranged live streaming of the eclipse from different types of telescopes. Few ABAA members were invited to volunteer for the event and handle the telescopes. Members following rules of social distancing managed the event very well, taking pictures of the eclipse, guiding the telescopes, helping the press to get good images of eclipse and also giving information on eclipse. Members had mixed feeling about the eclipse, on one side they were happy to see the eclipse without cloud cover at the same time they were feeling sad that they could not share the experience with public. Here are few picture of members at Planetarium during the event.
Projecting the Sun on to a wall or on a white cardboard paper is one of safe methods for observing Sun during eclipse and also while observing Sunspots. Here a projection box is attached to the Planetarium's Telescope, the box has a semi transparent paper in the middle of box where the image of the Sun forms and it can be viewed safely. ABAA member Naveen is headlining the telescope.
One of the live streaming of the Partial Solar eclipse was done from the 6 inch refractor telescope which has a massive focal length of 90 inches. It is coude focus telescope. The image is very stable and does not move as telescope tracks the Sun or any celestial object. This is the main advantage of coude focus.
ABAA helps members to make their own telescope and assemble the telescopes. This is something ABAA is regularly doing from four decades. Members had got their own telescope for the event, here you can see a member using the telescope, the front end of the tube is covered with solar filter making safe to observe the Sun.
ABAA member is guiding the telescope at Planetarium. This is a favorite type of telescope mount used by amateur astronomers for observing the celestial objects. ABAA is making this kind of mount and using it from couple of decades now. It is easy to make and easy to use, even in deep sky observations.
Binoculars are one more favorite optics of amateur astronomers and in fact ABAA recommends binoculars for starting out in astronomy. Because of its large field of view it makes a good choice. Here the binoculars lens are covered with Solar filters for safe viewing. There are hundred of celestial objects that can be viewed through binocular at night, even small ones like 10X50.
Another interesting setup at the event was heliostat, a system of mirrors arranged in a particular way which makes the image of the Sun fall on the wall and keeps the image study. The mirrors tracks the Sun but image of the Sun is kept in one place.
ABAA members do lot of Astrophotography too, and members do discuss lot of techniques involved in Astrophotography at ABAA regularly. Here members are capturing eclipse event through long focal length lens with filters. The filter casing was home made by members, telescope making and astrophotography involves lot of DIY which makes the hobby more exciting...
It was a good session at Planetarium, clouds did not ruin the event and members could enjoy the event for the most part.
Members have taken lot of good pictures of the eclipse, next blog post will feature the efforts of ABAA members in capturing the Partial Solar Eclipse.
Be safe and Clear Skies.
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