#21  
Old 03-03-2017, 09:34 AM
bkruse
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Eclipse Megamovie

For anyone traveling to the US for the August 21 eclipse, the Eclipse Megamovie Project is looking to get photographs to build a movie of images from coast to coast. They need skilled photographers to help create the movie as well as support solar science. UC Berkeley’s press release has good background information on what they are hoping to accomplish: http://news.berkeley.edu/2017/02/21/...solar-eclipse/
Their goal is to recruit over 1,000 amateur photographers and astronomers who will be on the path of totality on August 21, 2017. Their website has information and a link to the application to participate: https://eclipsemega.movie

Basic equipment necessary for participating in the Eclipse Megamovie Project
Camera: DSLR (digital single lens reflex)
Telephoto or zoom lens: minimum focal length of 300mm
A stable and level tripod
Ability to identify the GPS coordinates and time to the nearest second
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  #22  
Old 08-03-2017, 09:34 PM
rowena
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Originally Posted by bkruse View Post
For anyone traveling to the US for the August 21 eclipse, the Eclipse Megamovie Project is looking to get photographs to build a movie of images from coast to coast. They need skilled photographers to help create the movie as well as support solar science. UC Berkeley’s press release has good background information on what they are hoping to accomplish: http://news.berkeley.edu/2017/02/21/...solar-eclipse/
Their goal is to recruit over 1,000 amateur photographers and astronomers who will be on the path of totality on August 21, 2017. Their website has information and a link to the application to participate: https://eclipsemega.movie

Basic equipment necessary for participating in the Eclipse Megamovie Project
Camera: DSLR (digital single lens reflex)
Telephoto or zoom lens: minimum focal length of 300mm
A stable and level tripod
Ability to identify the GPS coordinates and time to the nearest second
Thanks for that... i submitted my application tonight... i feel Like im now a pro at total solar eclipses.. being my third totality! But its not enough!! Once you have seen one you will have a new addiction!
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  #23  
Old 09-03-2017, 11:50 AM
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that's so cool I'm not sure where I'm going yet though 😬😬😬
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  #24  
Old 27-03-2017, 02:46 PM
C.A.L.
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I'm doing the RV thing myself as I am bringing my kids along, planning to observe in Oregon, likely around Madras. Will be hiring the RV out of LA and driving north (with a detour to Yosemite on the way), but still deciding between a couple of RVs at the moment. Campsites (in Yosemite and at the Solarfest in Madras) and flights have been booked already though.

For those who haven't planned anything yet and don't want to get caught up in the last minute booking rush, I just thought I'd mention the trip that Mel Hulbert (from the Sydney Obs) is running, as she mentioned to me yesterday that it will have to close off to bookings in mid-April, which is fast approaching. The website for her trip is here: http://www.spacetimetravellers.com.au/

If you've travelled with Mel before on one of the many trips she's run, you will know that she has an uncanny ability to find clear skies, with plans always in place to switch locations at the last minute should it look like clouding over. While the trips themselves are always good value, seeing the actual eclipse is the main reason for going.


This will be total eclipse number 7 for me - fingers crossed :-)

Cheers,
Cathi
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  #25  
Old 09-06-2017, 01:28 PM
alphamone
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I will be going to Columbia Missouri to view this eclipse. Sadly I don't have a DSLR otherwise I would have signed up for that megamovie thing. It still won't stop me from taking lots of pictures though. This will be my third total eclipse after Shanghai (which was sadly clouded out) and Cairns (which was perfectly clear and beautiful out on the reef).

I have read that a few, less scrupulous, hotels have apparently been canceling older (made at regular rates) bookings without notice so they can sell those rooms at heavily marked up prices. So, if you haven't done so recently, it might be an idea to check the status of your bookings again just in case.

If you are driving to your viewing location, be aware that in some areas, the traffic is predicted to reach "hurricane evacuation" levels. This is especially important if your accommodation the previous night is outside of totality.

Less than 75 days to go, I am so excited.
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  #26  
Old 10-06-2017, 12:12 PM
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OzEclipse (Joe Cali)
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Originally Posted by alphamone View Post

If you are driving to your viewing location, be aware that in some areas, the traffic is predicted to reach "hurricane evacuation" levels. This is especially important if your accommodation the previous night is outside of totality.
These predictions of incredible traffic jams are made before every eclipse What is your source? The anecdotal evidence I am hearing from American eclipse chasers doing outreach is that they are dismayed at the apathetic response they are getting from groups they speak to, family and friends they are trying to enthuse.

I have been to 12 totalities 3 annulars, moved by road on eclipse day or been stationary and in an elevated position to observe traffic for 10 of them. I've been in places with high traffic eg Shanghai. I have never seen any sort of traffic jam that I could absolutely associate with eclipse chaser traffic. During totality in busy traffic places, cars just turn on their lights and keep driving.

Some people think that every American is going to try to drive to the eclipse. People have done crazy calculations to see if there is enough room on the centerline for 300 million people to stand. It didn't happen in Cairns, it's not going to happen generally in the USA. Many Americans only get 2 weeks leave per year. Many others are casuals who will lose money if they take the day off.

I agree that a few larger cities just outside the path of totality might see large volumes of traffic movements over a shortish distance to the path of totality but I don't expect Armageddon style traffic jams. Only time will tell. I won't be in a position to observe traffic this time, high on a Mountain top 10000ft high in the Grand Tetons. For those of you staying here, please post any reports of bug traffic jams you hear from the news.

Joe Cali
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  #27  
Old 10-06-2017, 08:22 PM
rowena
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I got my success on being part of megamovie project. 98 of us were succesfull on their first upload test day and our images should be part of the megamovie! 57 days til i fly out! Cant wait!
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  #28  
Old 18-06-2017, 08:00 AM
mbaddah (Mo)
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I'll be in Knoxville, TN... chasing maximum totality
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  #29  
Old 18-06-2017, 11:56 AM
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I'll be in Knoxville, TN... chasing maximum totality
And maximum mean cloudiness - 60-80%. Cairns was 44%. A move west by several states will double your chances of a clear sky. Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon.

This is a climatic history summary not a forecast.
http://eclipsophile.com/wp-content/u...raph-MODIS.jpg
Joe
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  #30  
Old 22-06-2017, 08:36 AM
kkara4 (Krishan)
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Originally Posted by OzEclipse View Post
And maximum mean cloudiness - 60-80%. Cairns was 44%. A move west by several states will double your chances of a clear sky. Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon.

This is a climatic history summary not a forecast.
http://eclipsophile.com/wp-content/u...raph-MODIS.jpg
Joe
I only just realised you were on here Joe, you have made an extremely good eclipse filter design for which I ordered some Depron sheet just yesterday! Thanks for sharing your design (found it via google yesterday)!

I have my plans in place now for this one, everything booked and paid for.

I note your post about traffic above, I hope it turns out as you expect with nothing too bad, but my primary spots in Oregon are starting to look very busy indeed, so I am going to assume epic traffic and plan accordingly. I'd rather find out there are almost no people unexpectedly, than unexpectedly encountering thousands of people on the small country roads and not having planned for such an eventuality. I will be in a position to report back after the event on how traffic actually ended up.

Wildfires in Oregon are also a high probability, and repositioning around road closures and smoke will make things interesting, though of course the whole of Oregon certainly won't be on fire at the same time .

In terms of camera gear i am now geared up nicely. 5D MK iv, 5D MK iii, 240-600mm f/5.6 lens, a wide angle lens, gimbal head tripod, all necessary filters and radio triggers. I think dragging my Losmandy G11 over there would be a tad difficult, as much as i would love to have it there . I'll also be doing video off a small SX620 compact camera just because i might as well.
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  #31  
Old 23-06-2017, 05:09 AM
SteveInNZ
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Have you checked that your lens & gimbal setup will let you reach the altitude of the sun at the eclipse ? I checked mine and it would be OK for totality but would collide if I wanted to use it for the partials between C3 and C4.

Steve.
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  #32  
Old 23-06-2017, 05:21 AM
kkara4 (Krishan)
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Originally Posted by SteveInNZ View Post
Have you checked that your lens & gimbal setup will let you reach the altitude of the sun at the eclipse ? I checked mine and it would be OK for totality but would collide if I wanted to use it for the partials between C3 and C4.

Steve.
I have indeed Steve, for me end C4 is approx 55 degrees, i can get to 65 degrees no worries
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  #33  
Old 23-06-2017, 10:22 AM
mbaddah (Mo)
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Originally Posted by OzEclipse View Post
And maximum mean cloudiness - 60-80%. Cairns was 44%. A move west by several states will double your chances of a clear sky. Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon.

This is a climatic history summary not a forecast.
http://eclipsophile.com/wp-content/u...raph-MODIS.jpg
Joe
Hi Joe,

Thanks for that info. Unfortunately I've already booked my accommodation and flights to TN from LAX I'll definitely pay attention to the cloud forecast leading up to that day... If I have to i'll start driving out west the day before.

Appreciate the assistance.

Mo
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  #34  
Old 24-06-2017, 10:35 AM
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OzEclipse (Joe Cali)
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Hi Krishan,

It's great that you found the filter design so useful. I get between 150000 to 250000 pages viewed each year on my website. The DIY filter page is always in the top 3 accessed pages.

When making your filter Just make sure you cut the hole for the flange piece that presses over the lens hood so that it is a very tight firm fit. Undercut and then you can sand it if necessary. If you overcut, you can put a thick wide rubber band around the lens hood and push the flangepiece. On my bigger aperture filters, the tube flange is made of two pieces of self adhesive foamcore glued to each other.

You can remove the filter completely at totality. I usually just leave one springback clip in place and leave it hanging off one corner as long as there isn't too much wind.

If anywhere is going to have traffic issues, it will be the USA. My comments were based on the fact that I have never seen eclipse traffic jams anywhere and am always sceptical of doomsday predictions. People tend to pick their spot and stay there. They are really reluctant to move. Tour groups often find it difficult to move. They may have promised their groups catering, drinks, toilets and can't move.

In 2012, my group had 120 people and another 300 people who were making their own travel arrangements were going to use a field I leased from a farmer in Port Douglas and set up with portable toilets. They were also taking weather advice from me.

When the weather turned bad for the coast, I advised all 400 to abandon the coastal viewing site and move 3 hrs inland to some sites we had p[re surveyed. Some people, about 100, elected not to move. Remarkably, they still saw some totality but interrupted by clouds. A large number of these were tour groups who only had a bus booked to transport them to the field site and pick them up later. The bus was booked for other jobs and so 3hr destination changes could not be catered. But there were a significant number who could have moved and didn't.

Everyone who took the advice to move to the inland locations we chose saw clear totality. It was pretty apparent that inland was going to be clear and the coast would be cloudy, yet the roads were empty as we drove in during the early morning hours. I didn't experience any traffic driving back to Cairns via Port Douglas. I don't think many people moved inland.

While I would naturally expect a lot of people in their cars in the USA, I don't expect to see 300 million of them in hundred mile traffic jams. As I'll be isolated on a mountaintop, I will be very interested to hear about your experiences.

Feedback from other eclipse chasers receiving luke warm responses in the USA to their outreach presentations and activities indicates otherwise. American eclipse chasers I know are mostly arranging mini eclipse tours for their families. They booked accommodation in the path years ago and the whole family will be there for a week.

If you are worried about traffic, leave for your eclipse site at 3-4am, get where you're going then have a snooze in the car. People who are not enthusiast eclipse chasers generally won't get up at that time to drive to a site. Traffic should be light.

Enjoy your trip and the eclipse.

Joe
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  #35  
Old 24-06-2017, 12:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveInNZ View Post
Have you checked that your lens & gimbal setup will let you reach the altitude of the sun at the eclipse ? I checked mine and it would be OK for totality but would collide if I wanted to use it for the partials between C3 and C4.

Steve.
It's a good question to ask. Lots of video style tripods aren't great for pointing overhead or even high in the sky. In general you can reverse the camera on the quick release plate so that the arm of the tripod points up with the camera rather than down like normal. Then it doesn't foul on the tripod.

Phil
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  #36  
Old 24-06-2017, 05:48 PM
SteveInNZ
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Probably of equal importance for people using equatorial mounts to check when the Sun crosses the local meridian, relative to the eclipse. I expect there will be a few expletives somewhere along the path when the mount decides to do a meridian flip during totality.

Steve.
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  #37  
Old 24-06-2017, 11:03 PM
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OzEclipse (Joe Cali)
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Steve,

Interesting point.

Meridian cross occurs between C1 and C2 east of Columbia all the way to the east coast near Charleston.

Meridian cross occurs during totality between Colombia Missouri and Boonville. a ~40km stretch.

Meridian cross occurs between C3-C4 between 10km west of Casper Wyoming to Boonville Missouri.

Note that an azimuth polar misalignment of ±5 degrees in the wrong direction increases the region of totality flip to a 400km stretch from Kansas City to St Louis. Likewise polar misallignment extends the partial eclipse zone. Anyone in the totality flip zone could, with care, purposely misalign their polar axis by a few degrees to avoid the totality flip.

I have two EQ mounts. One is my own design built in 2001 the other is a Starlapse. Both are driven but not goto. I back myself to be able to find the sun if I'm having a good day . Both drives and flips are under my control and can drive well past the meridian without collisions.

Joe
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  #38  
Old 30-06-2017, 01:36 PM
kkara4 (Krishan)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OzEclipse View Post
Hi Krishan,

It's great that you found the filter design so useful. I get between 150000 to 250000 pages viewed each year on my website. The DIY filter page is always in the top 3 accessed pages.

When making your filter Just make sure you cut the hole for the flange piece that presses over the lens hood so that it is a very tight firm fit. Undercut and then you can sand it if necessary. If you overcut, you can put a thick wide rubber band around the lens hood and push the flangepiece. On my bigger aperture filters, the tube flange is made of two pieces of self adhesive foamcore glued to each other.

You can remove the filter completely at totality. I usually just leave one springback clip in place and leave it hanging off one corner as long as there isn't too much wind.

If anywhere is going to have traffic issues, it will be the USA. My comments were based on the fact that I have never seen eclipse traffic jams anywhere and am always sceptical of doomsday predictions. People tend to pick their spot and stay there. They are really reluctant to move. Tour groups often find it difficult to move. They may have promised their groups catering, drinks, toilets and can't move.

In 2012, my group had 120 people and another 300 people who were making their own travel arrangements were going to use a field I leased from a farmer in Port Douglas and set up with portable toilets. They were also taking weather advice from me.

When the weather turned bad for the coast, I advised all 400 to abandon the coastal viewing site and move 3 hrs inland to some sites we had p[re surveyed. Some people, about 100, elected not to move. Remarkably, they still saw some totality but interrupted by clouds. A large number of these were tour groups who only had a bus booked to transport them to the field site and pick them up later. The bus was booked for other jobs and so 3hr destination changes could not be catered. But there were a significant number who could have moved and didn't.

Everyone who took the advice to move to the inland locations we chose saw clear totality. It was pretty apparent that inland was going to be clear and the coast would be cloudy, yet the roads were empty as we drove in during the early morning hours. I didn't experience any traffic driving back to Cairns via Port Douglas. I don't think many people moved inland.

While I would naturally expect a lot of people in their cars in the USA, I don't expect to see 300 million of them in hundred mile traffic jams. As I'll be isolated on a mountaintop, I will be very interested to hear about your experiences.

Feedback from other eclipse chasers receiving luke warm responses in the USA to their outreach presentations and activities indicates otherwise. American eclipse chasers I know are mostly arranging mini eclipse tours for their families. They booked accommodation in the path years ago and the whole family will be there for a week.

If you are worried about traffic, leave for your eclipse site at 3-4am, get where you're going then have a snooze in the car. People who are not enthusiast eclipse chasers generally won't get up at that time to drive to a site. Traffic should be light.

Enjoy your trip and the eclipse.

Joe
Thanks for the advice Joe.

I received my Depron so i will be making all my filters this weekend. I actually want to modify your design a bit, and i will have a small bolt in one corner, so that the filter simply drops out of the way once i release the clips. Saves using two hands, one to support the filter and one on the clips and speeds things up. Ill see how that concept goes.

How much warning did you get regards to impending cloud cover forecast?

One thing that greatly surprises me is the lack of swearing and general rage at the cloud cover on the youtube videos of the malaysia (and other clouded eclipses) eclipses . Perhaps they came to accept the cloud situation. I will be quite devestated if i get random clouds in my way

Time will tell on this one, but i will certainly report back here for you on the traffic situ. There are other concerns too around wildfires, running out of cell network capacity, it will be interesting to see if they come to fruition.
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  #39  
Old 02-07-2017, 06:17 PM
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It's getting closer now 😱😱 I'm doing a test run on luggage and I'm already up to 13kilos and I haven't put any clothes in my case yet hahaha 🙄
All my plans are finally falling into place for four huge weeks of touring around the states woohooo I'm so excited 🤗🤗 I will be in Casper for the eclipse 💜💜
IS IT AUGUST YET ? 😍😍🤣🤣🤣
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  #40  
Old 02-07-2017, 06:20 PM
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My solar filter sheet has arrived it's time to get creative and make some filters to go go on my camera lens 🤗 Any one got a good link ?
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