Venus's Voyage Across the Sun
After attempting to photograph the annular solar eclipse last month which was
obstructed by cloud cover, I decided to prepare for the Venus Transit across the
Sun on June 5, 2012 in hopes that the weather would be clear.
Upon gathering as much information as possible about the safety precautions for solar viewing and photography, I determined that the Baader AstroSolar™filter material from the Baader Planeatrium was the wisest choice. The filter produced by Baader is not inexpensive with a 3.5 inch (9cm) sheet costing $15.00; however the double coated material is guaranteed free of pinholes and approved for eye safety by the National Bureau of Standards in Germany. And when I am focusing on the sun through a long telephoto lens, the safety of my eyesight is of up most importance. The other advantage for selecting the Baader AstroSolar™filter is that the sun appears in its true color which is neutral white.
Along with the filter material are directions on how to mount and create a light proof box for attachment to the camera lens. Initially, I was going to use a poster mailer for mounting the filter to the lens.
After the poster mailer was cut down to the recommended 2 inch (5cm) size, a decision was made instead to use a card board box because the opening could be cut to fit snugly on to the Nikon 500mm camera lens. Then a 3.5 inch (9cm) circle was cut on both sides of a thick folded paper to sandwich the Baader AstroSolar™filter before it was taped to the lightproof box. Extra care must be taken with the filter to prevent scratches and finger prints that can cause damage.
Using my lens hoods, I adapted two additional boxes for the filter to be used with my other Nikon lenses, the 35-70mm and the 80-200mm.
To reach as much distance as possible, I used my Nikon 500mm 4.0 lens and a 2Xteleconverter with the Baader AstroSolar™filter secured to the light proof box. By taking some trial exposures of the sun, I determined that I would need a slower shutter speed of 1/125 second due to the filter and teleconverter cutting down on the amount of light reaching the camera sensor.
First contact--the dark disk of Venus appears to touch the Sun's outer edge on the ingress.
Second contact--Venus travels inside the Sun’s disk.
Venus travels almost midway across the Sun; the dark spots in the center of the Sun are sunspots. Orange hue has been added in Lightroom for a more dramatic effect.
Venus is barely visible as the Sun drops behind the Wassuk Mountain at Walker Lake, Nevada.
For additional information:
What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.
Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!
Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.
"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"
No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download.
All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text,
design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be
copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the
express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald.
For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please
submit a written request.
i feel that the filter made was an ingenous idea.
ReplyDeletethe pictures are very clear and genuine. a very good idea. Keep up the great work. I only wish i was as talented as you are in photography.
great job!!!