This is a gallery of eclipse photographs made by members of the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association (CAA). Some members traveled to various places along the path of totality to experience the total solar eclipse. Some CAA members stayed behind, photographing the deep partial eclipse. We are fortunate to have a number of talented photographers and astrophotographers as members and pleased to be able to exhibit their amazing work here. We will add new images to this post as they are received so check back on occasion! Please note: these images are the property of their individual creators and may not be used without the photographer’s expressed permission.
The solar corona visible at totality. Photographed from Lebanon, Tenn., Monday, August 21, 2017. Credit: David J. WatkinsThe diamond ring effect prior to second contact. You can also see some of the chromosphere along with some prominences (orange-red color). Photographed from Lebanon, Tenn., Monday, August 21, 2017. Credit: David J. WatkinsEarly eclipse with sunspots. Credit: Alan StudtPartial eclipse progression. Credit: Alan StudtMaximum Eclipse – Hiram, Ohio. Northeastern Ohio witnessed an 80 percent coverage partial eclipse on August 21, 2017. Several sunspots were visible before the Moon covered them leaving only one in sight at the left end of the crescent seen here. Credit: James Guilford.Before Maximum Eclipse – Note the “bumps” on the edge of the Moon’s dark curve: silhouettes of lunar craters and mountains against the brilliant Sun. Canon EOS 50D: ISO 320, f/11, 1/1600 sec., 800mm telephoto. Credit: James GuilfordPartial eclipse taken east of Glendo State Park, Wyoming on Highway 270, about .7 mile north of the center line for totality. Technical: Canon EOS 60Da, ISO 320, 1/160 sec., ETX-125 telescope with polar alignment. Credit: Bruce LaneNearing Totality: Partial eclipse taken east of Glendo State Park, Wyoming on Highway 270, about .7 mile north of the center line for totality. Technical: Canon EOS 60Da, ISO 320, 1/160 sec., ETX-125 telescope with polar alignment. Credit: Bruce LaneTotality with Venus: From southern Illinois, where he took a shot of the totality, Venus showing to the right. Taken with a Samsung Galaxy Note5. Credit: Ted SauppéTotality, Casper, Wyoming. Credit: Steve KoryakI took these two photos in Casper, Wyoming. These are the first and the eighth in the sequence made under thin clouds! I missed the diamond ring at first and second contact because of helping five other people seeing their first eclipse! Technical: Nikon D5100,ISO 800, 6-inch f/4 telescope on clock drive, starting at 1/4000 sec. down to a few seconds. Credit: Steve Korylak
Temperature Plot, August 21, 2017; Medina, Ohio. Credit: James GuilfordColander as Eclipse Projector. Credit: Matt FrandutoTotality with Earth Shine, Regulus to the Left – Handheld Photograph. Credit: Matt FrandutoDiamond Ring Effect. Credit: Chris ChristeTotality Composite showing Corona, Prominences, and Earthshine. Credit: Chris Christe
The Cuyahoga Astronomical Association (CAA), in cooperation with Cleveland Metroparks, will host an Eclipse Watch event at Edgewater Park, on Cleveland’s western Lake Erie shore, from 12:30 to 4:00 PM, Monday, August 21. The event will be free and open to the public, no reservations required, to observe the day’s solar eclipse. In case of rain, the event will be canceled.
Eclipse at Maximum – Edgewater Park, Ohio, August 21, 2017 – SkySafari 5 Simulation
The Edgewater Eclipse Watch will include:
Telescopes equipped to safely view the eclipse, tended by CAA members
Eclipse viewing glasses provided by AstroZap, one per group, please!)
Non-profit organizations, including Cleveland Metroparks, with family activities.
Additional activities to be announced!
The venue for the Edgewater Eclipse Watch will be at the west end of Edgewater Park’s lower level parking lot (see map below). Telescopes and other activities will be in the grassy area adjacent to the parking lot. Visitors may come and go as they please during the event.
Here is where the Eclipse Watch will take place. Click to visit Google Maps for a more complete map and directions.Timing of Our Partial Solar Eclipse, August 21, 2017 – Via SkySafari 5
Millions of people will enjoy this eclipse of the Sun, some portion of which will be visible from everywhere in the continental United States; it’s even been dubbed “The Great American Eclipse” and “The National Eclipse.” Locations along a relatively narrow strip of land stretching from Oregon and the Pacific Northwest to the Atlantic off South Carolina will enjoy the full glory of a total solar eclipse. Here in Northeastern Ohio, we will see a deep partial eclipse with, at its peak, the Sun reduced to a brilliant crescent in our early afternoon sky.
CRITICAL: Vision safety is a major concern: It is important to note: even during the maximum point of our partial eclipse it is not safe to look at the Sun without proper vision protection. According to a statement from NASA, “The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed Sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as ‘eclipse glasses’ or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun.” Here’s a quick video about how to safely view the eclipse via WKYC and our own Jay Reynolds.
A solar eclipse takes place when our Moon comes between Sun and Earth casting its shadow on Earth’s surface. The illustration below shows how the depth of Moon’s shadow varies depending upon how much of Sun is covered. The small black dot indicates the area where all of the solar disk is covered and where a total solar eclipse is in progress; outside of that dot, a large shaded area shows where various levels of partial coverage — the partial eclipse — is visible.
Diagram of the Solar Eclipse – Image Credit: NASA
This video from NASA shows how eclipses work and why they don’t happen every month. Spoiler: Moon’s shadow “misses” the Earth most of the time…
Eclipse Stamps Transform at a Touch – Credit: USPS
On August 21, 2017, tens of millions of people in the United States will have an opportunity to view a total eclipse of the Sun. A total solar eclipse was last seen on the U.S. mainland in 1979, but only in the Northwest. The eclipse this summer will sweep a narrow path across the entire country—the first time this has happened since 1918. The U.S. Postal Service® anticipates this rare event with a stamp celebrating the majesty of solar eclipses.
The Total Eclipse of the Sun stamp is the first U.S. stamp to use thermochromic ink, which reacts to the heat of your touch. Placing your finger over the black disc on the stamp causes the ink to change from black to clear to reveal an underlying image of the moon. The image reverts back to the black disc once it cools. The back of the stamp pane shows a map of the eclipse path.You can preserve the integrity of your Total Eclipse of the Sun Forever® stamp pane with our protective sleeve specifically designed for stamp preservation.
The stamp uses a photograph taken by astrophysicist Fred Espenak of a total solar eclipse that was seen over Jalu, Libya, on March 29, 2006. Mr. Espenak also took the photograph of the full moon that is revealed by pressing upon the stamp image. The reverse side of the stamp pane shows the path across the United States of the forthcoming August 21, 2017, total solar eclipse and gives the times that it will appear in some locations.
A total eclipse of the Sun occurs when the Moon completely blocks the visible solar disk from view, casting a shadow on Earth. The 70-mile-wide shadow path of the eclipse, known as the “path of totality,” will traverse the country diagonally, appearing first in Oregon (mid-morning local time) and exiting some 90 minutes later off the coast of South Carolina (mid-afternoon local time).
A total solar eclipse provides us with the only chance to see the Sun’s corona—its extended outer atmosphere—without specialized instruments. The corona during an eclipse looks like a gossamer white halo around a black disk, or like the petals of a flower reaching out into space.
Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp. The Total Eclipse of the Sun stamp is being issued as a Forever ® stamp. This Forever® stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price.
March 9 Total Solar Eclipse by Steve KorylakCAA member and eclipse chaser Steve Korylak followed the Sun to Indonesia for the March 9 total solar eclipse. He viewed and photographed the event from the deck of a ship positioned for an optimal view of totality. Here are his photographs and his story….
“Not bad for being on a moving ship! The eclipse lasted two minutes, forty seconds; I planned to photograph for one minute, look at the sun visually for one minute and take a movie for the last 40 seconds. I had rehearsed this the day before so I would be prepared. Timing the interval between shots so I did not overload the camera buffer. I had a solar filter on the lens to record the partial phases. Near totality, I looked for shadow bands on the side of the white ship and did not see them. When I took off the filter the focus changed, even though I had it taped so it would not move; this caused me to miss the diamond ring and bailey’s beads. I had to refocus — still slightly off — and started taking pictures. Then the eclipse was over; no visual, no movie. Learning experience!”
Photo Info: Inner corona – Nikon D1500 (APS-size sensor) 1/4000 sec., f/11, ISO 1000, 300mm lens with 2X teleconverter. Outer corona – same hardware, 1/60 sec., f/11, ISO 1000. The lens was f/5.6 but with the teleconverter it is equivalent to f/11. shot in raw mode for maximum detail.
March 9 Total Solar Eclipse by Steve Korylak – Note Red Prominences over the Sun’s Limb
