Can an Eclipse Corona / limb detail be imaged thro Herschel Wedge ??

[Craney]

Hello everybody,

I am planning to visit the States next August for the eclipse and I am trying to rationalise the gear I need to take. 

I want to enjoy the experience and just let the camera roll, zapping away.  ( Ok I will need a basic bit of ALT-AZ input on the tripod to keep it in the FOV).

Up until totality so be OK as this is more or less 'normal'  filtered Solar observing......... but...... what about totality  and the corona ??   A regular glass or film objective filter will surely reduce the brightness to virtual black out.    Would a Herscel wedge show  coronal and solar limb details  at totality  ??

 

Thanks for any advice.   I have never seen an eclipse before and so it's all going to be a bit overwhelming !!

 

Cheers,

 

Sean.

 

[Moonshane]

Others will confirm but as far as I know at totality, you can image the chromosphere's proms etc with standard equipment. Until and after totality, for white light views, you need a wedge or similar. With the wedge the chromosphere will be too faint to see as almost all the already faint Chromosphere light is redirected. It goes without saying that you need to get this right to protect your eyes and gear and also get the most out of it.

[Craney]

Thanks Moonshane.  ( I have not used a wedge before, but a couple have come up on the AstroSales websites and I am now interested.)

Yes, I thought that might be the case.  I would like to image with the wedge up until Totality because of the contrast and detail it brings to the image  ( or so I am told)  as compared to standard glass or film filters.

But... at totatlity I don't want to be taking a wedge off,  faffing with the camera connections etc....and then trying to re-image  because it will surely go belly up  !!! 

Maybe a standard high quality objective glass filter, and then just whip it off at the right moment.    Seems a more realistic  physical and technical demand in all  the excitement.

 

Thanks.

sean.

[Peter Drew]

I think any form of light reduction filtering will compromise imaging the corona and other totality details. When I photographed a tota solar eclipse I used a standard white light filter up until totality, nothing during totality and filter again immediately after the "diamond ring" effect. 

[Craney]

Thanks Peter, yes I think this is the way to go.   So the perennial question... which is the best white light filter for imaging ...... film or glass ??

[Moonshane]

In this order I feel the options are (best first):

Baader wedge - expensive though unless interested long term in white light

Lunt wedge - cheaper and best bang for buck especially if used

Baader film filter - cheapest and almost as good as Lunt wedge

Glass filters - never used one but more often than not recommended against

An option is buy a lunt wedge used and then sell when you get back if not interested long term.

If you set things up well enough beforehand - e.g. work out what you need in terms of spacing etc for visual and camera you can switch quickly. That said, a film filter would be quicker.

 

[Craney]

Thanks Moonshane,  a lot to comtemplate.  

Although a wedge allows a range of  refractor pertures to be used.   I seem to be building up a resource of film fiters. ( 80mm, 90 Mak and C-6 !!!  ones ).

 

S.