I did hear though that there would be "viewing equipment" available up on Armour Hill, here in Peterborough. Alex happened to be here for a short visit, so I dragged him along with me.
A moderate-sized crowd had already gathered when we arrived to view the eclipse and quite a few more kept coming, the closer we got to complete eclipse - which here, was only 68%.
The equipment was in the form of numerous telescopes set up by The Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA) for public viewing. They had also been handing out a few hundred pairs of glasses but had run out before we got there.
We each took peeks through the telescopes and through glasses which so many people kindly offered to share.
At least one of the telescopes had a camera mounted on it which was showing images in real time. You can see the camera right near the man with his arms folded.
I decided to snap a photo of what that camera was seeing.
One of the PAA's devices was a handheld circular protective lens which we could not only peer through but also snap photos through it.
Kids took their turns at the telescopes. It wasn't always easy to focus on it right away - you needed to move around a bit to find it which made it a bit tough for the kidlets whose natural tendency was to grab the viewfinder and move it.
By the time we were much of the way through it, we could see the changes in the colour of the surrounding landscape. Everything was a little more saturated like it gets a couple of hours before sunset - but in the early afternoon. In that lovely light, scenes like this were everywhere. Parents and grandparents helping little ones to see the eclipse safely.
Here again, is that homemade, handheld lens which allows you to look and take photos through it. Had I known that, I'd have brought a more suitable camera lens.
I gave it a try anyway and had less-than-stellar but good-enough results. Here are a few shots Photoshopped into one image. Pictures were taken at the half-hour mark, one hour (with clouds passing by), about ten minutes from totality, a couple of minutes from and right at totality (68% here).
It was great fun to witness it and to record it. Thanks, Peterborough Astronomical Association!
How was it in your part of the continent?
35 comments:
You did get some cool shots. The clouds parted just enough overly place that my son and I got to each snap a few pictures.Pretty cool stuff.
So you had some people watching as well as eclipse watching.
It was to have been 85% here, Hilary. But we were once again at the eye doctor's office during the eclipse and didn't see any of it. Loved watching the reports on television, though. So neat to see the total darkness descending on so many cities across the country at midday. Your pictures are wonderful.
Looks like we had the same amount in Austin, TX -- about 68%. Differnt orientation of the crescents. What an incredible two hours.I first tried looking through a colander and then noticed the sun coming through the trees onto the porch. Made for a most fun movie of changing images.
Love that last shot!
Wonderful photos. Love the people. We were at almost 100%, only a teensy sliver of sun. Eerily dark and c-c-cold.
It felt like being there with you. What fun. my Wednesday post is about the eclipse from my yard 😋😎💜
Nice seeing you H
I didn't buy the glasses early either. Fortunately a woman gave me a pair!
No special glasses here, but we took pics of the sun's image through a pinhole, pretty pathetic pics but I posted them on the blog anyway.
You got excellent photos of all kinds. We were at about 75% here, and i was at work. Ms. JAI and went outside and used my pinhole paper to look, it was interesting to see the light get dim in the afternoon, then brighten right back up.
Well done! I gave it a go.
The crowd shots are fun, Hilary. I especially like that last photoshopped one. We had 88% coverage, and I got some really neat shots of the shadows on the ground. Thanks for sharing your always awesome pictures with me. :-)
we were 66% at peak. I had no glasses or telescopes to look through so I just did the pinhole in cardboard thing. still had hard shadows but the quality of the light was weird, a little muted.
I think we had about 50% coverage, not enough to notice much change unless you knew it was happening. My daughter had the forethought to order glasses for all of us, so I did got out several times to take a peek. But never even thought to take any photos! I'm glad you got some! We're supposed to be at near totality for the next one in 7 years. I plan to be prepared!!!
Really great photos! :-)
Greetings from London.
I think you rid a great job! What a great community experience it was!
Was clouded over here in Fargo. I didn't know whether it was more clouds or the eclipse, to be honest. Just got darker like it was going to rain and then back to regular cloudy day. Yours looks much more exciting. :)
No Mother son photo?
You did better than we did with our pinhole box, but we did okayish.
Terrific shots!
We had about the same level of coverage here, clear skies during the peak. I went out and saw that peculiar tone to the blue sky. Didn't have protective glasses, so I didn't look up. One of the museums here was hosting a similar event.
We got about ninety-five percent here in Portland. It got dim, but not dark.
That's a great series of photos if you ask me! Well done!
I was at work but snuck away to see it. I think we got 85%. People here shared glasses as well. Which kind of makes me love people again.
It was about 93% here but dark enough to make the rooster crow. I checked my great nephew out of school and we did experiments with pinhole cameras and colanders. I'm glad I took those few hours during the eclipse.
Very cool! I love your pics. I think the people pics are more interesting than the eclipse pics anyway, since professionals have been releasing some pretty amazing ones.
It was so cloudy at our house that we saw nothing. :( We watched it on tv. Ah well.
It looked so exciting!
We had one here when I was fairly young and I can remember how quickly it went cold and how the birds panicked.
Maggie x
loved the eclipse glimpse below thank you sooo much for sharing
This was my first experience of full total eclipse and by 2024, I'm going to have to buy the necessary lens for my camera. It was an amazing experience as I blogged about.
It was 80% here in Ohio but I was working. The operating room I was in has windows near the ceiling so we could tell it was getting darker, but that was all I could see! My son lives in Portland, Oregon and they had a great time seeing 100% of the eclipse and took some cool videos of how dark it got. Your pics are so fun as always! Good shots at the end!
Sat on my brother's pool deck and watched through a pair of approved special glasses decorated with an alien's face :) We saw about 68% here, as well. Never lost much daylight, nor did the birds or animals react strangely, so it was an interesting experience that we wouldn't have paid attention to had we not known to look up!
wonderful shots all .. but to me the best part of the eclipse is how people helped others view it sharing protective eyewear and sharing camera viewing ... especially these days seeing people interacting being civil caring sharing is heartwarming
We had the glasses and made the pinhole viewers. Hubby set up a camera on a tripod and I think he got a picture or two. It was about 95% here, but never got dark, just dimmer. There were a few mosquitoes out early on, but when it hit 95%, they were swarming. Then as it was ending, the mosquitoes disappeared. It was an awesome experience even if not total.
We had the glasses and made the pinhole viewers. Hubby set up a camera on a tripod and I think he got a picture or two. It was about 95% here, but never got dark, just dimmer. There were a few mosquitoes out early on, but when it hit 95%, they were swarming. Then as it was ending, the mosquitoes disappeared. It was an awesome experience even if not total.
Nice shots, and nice helpful folks...rare these days. I'm glad you got to see it all. Not much here.
I was totally underwhelmed in Boston. I went outside and waited for it to get dark, but there was almost no difference. I peaked at the sun and noticed not much. Oh, well. There's a total scheduled for my part of the country in seven years. If I live that long, I'll try gain.
Post a Comment