Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
You can always watch the transit here: June 5: Venus Crosses the Sun On next Tuesday, June 5, from noon to almost 7 pm HST, Venus will cross the Sun for the last transit until the year 2117. It's the final time anyone alive today will have a chance to see this rare astronomical event and the Island of Hawai'i is one of the best places on Earth to view it. Keck Observatory is hosting a complete live webcast of the event from the Keck I Telescope control room on the summit of Mauna Kea. Watch the webcast at http://keckobservatory.org/news/venus_transit_live_keck_observatory. Meanwhile, we'll also be setting up solar telescopes and showing the webcast on a large screen at our headquarters in the more temperate and accessible Waimea-Kamuela. So wherever you are, you can be part of the historic Transit of Venus. This and other locations islandwide for safely viewing the transit can be found at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station website. Two Big Astrophysics Prizes Announced Two major astronomy prizes were announced this week going to scientists affiliated with Keck Observatory for their discoveries of objects beyond the orbit of Neptune – in what’s called the Kuiper Belt. UCLA’s David Jewitt and Jane Luu of MIT’s Lincoln Laboratories, have been awarded the prestigious Shaw Prize. The same scientists, along with Caltech’s Mike Brown, were also awarded the Kavli Prize for Astrophysics for that same work on the nature of our solar system. Mike Brown and David Jewitt have given outstanding talks for the Keck Observatory in recent years. Their presentations are archived on our website. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: 7:00 pm, June 7, 2012 Keck Astronomy Talk: "Transits of Venus from Earth, Jupiter & Saturn: Past, Present & Future." By Dr. Jay Pasachoff, Williams College Dan Matyola http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 5:36 PM, Miserere wrote: > On 29 May 2012 14:32, John Celio wrote: >> I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on >> June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you >> guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, >> or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using >> my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough >> filter, and I'll need to do that soon. >> >> Thanks, >> John >> >> P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last >> Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see >> the outback and more of Tasmania. > > John, > > ND filters aren't enough (unless you stack a bunch of them). I've > bought a solar filter from these guys for my own plan to photograph > the transit: > > http://stores.ebay.com/Seymour-Solar-Filters > > It was listed as "Solar - Sun Filter Sheets 9"X12" for Telescopes, > Finder" and cost me $17. It lets through 0.001% of the light reaching > it. > > I received it earlier this week but haven't had time to fashion a > filter from the sheet. I plan to make a filter for my Tokina 400m > f/5.6 and another for my Sigma CAT 600mm f/8. > > Filters for Solar observing/photography MUST ALWAYS BE ON THE > FRONT-MOST ELEMENT. The situation is so dangerous that for larger > reflecting telescopes (wider than 8") the "filter" is actually just a > hole in the telescope lid (with solar filter material covering the > hole, of course) because otherwise the concentrated and focused rays > of the Sun (even heavily filtered) could damage the secondary mirror. > In a standard lens, placing the filter in the rear filter tray would > probably damage said filter after a few minutes of observing the Sun. > > Now for fun stuff: How long does your lens have to be? If using an > APS-C camera, I'd recommend 1000mm. The Sun's angular diameter is > ~31.5 arcmin (arc minutes) and it "moves" across the sky at a rate of > ~15 arcmin/min. A 1000mm lens will give you a 1.3 degree (78 arcmin) > horizontal FoV, so enough to fit ~2.5 Suns. If you orientate your > camera such that the Sun moves horizontally across your frame, you > should have the entire solar disc in your frame for ~3 mins (assuming > you're not using a motorised mount). If you're using a motorised > mount, then use a 1600mm lens and have the Sun practically fill your > frame (vertically). > > As you're using a 500mm lens, I would suggest adding at least a 1.4x > teleconverter, or ideally a good 2x TC. Venus is going to be ~58 > arcsec in diameter, so some 32.5 times smaller than the Sun. Using a > 1000mm lens on a K-5 you get 1.05 pixels/arcsec, so the size of Venus > on your photograph will be ~60 pixels. > > I recommend this site for practically all information regarding the > transit, including your local times of visibility: > > http://www.transitofvenus.org > > If you have an observatory or astronomy club near by, check to see if > they're organising an event for the occasion. If they are I'd > recommend going to take a look through a powerful telescop
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
On 29 May 2012 14:32, John Celio wrote: > I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on > June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you > guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, > or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using > my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough > filter, and I'll need to do that soon. > > Thanks, > John > > P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last > Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see > the outback and more of Tasmania. John, ND filters aren't enough (unless you stack a bunch of them). I've bought a solar filter from these guys for my own plan to photograph the transit: http://stores.ebay.com/Seymour-Solar-Filters It was listed as "Solar - Sun Filter Sheets 9"X12" for Telescopes, Finder" and cost me $17. It lets through 0.001% of the light reaching it. I received it earlier this week but haven't had time to fashion a filter from the sheet. I plan to make a filter for my Tokina 400m f/5.6 and another for my Sigma CAT 600mm f/8. Filters for Solar observing/photography MUST ALWAYS BE ON THE FRONT-MOST ELEMENT. The situation is so dangerous that for larger reflecting telescopes (wider than 8") the "filter" is actually just a hole in the telescope lid (with solar filter material covering the hole, of course) because otherwise the concentrated and focused rays of the Sun (even heavily filtered) could damage the secondary mirror. In a standard lens, placing the filter in the rear filter tray would probably damage said filter after a few minutes of observing the Sun. Now for fun stuff: How long does your lens have to be? If using an APS-C camera, I'd recommend 1000mm. The Sun's angular diameter is ~31.5 arcmin (arc minutes) and it "moves" across the sky at a rate of ~15 arcmin/min. A 1000mm lens will give you a 1.3 degree (78 arcmin) horizontal FoV, so enough to fit ~2.5 Suns. If you orientate your camera such that the Sun moves horizontally across your frame, you should have the entire solar disc in your frame for ~3 mins (assuming you're not using a motorised mount). If you're using a motorised mount, then use a 1600mm lens and have the Sun practically fill your frame (vertically). As you're using a 500mm lens, I would suggest adding at least a 1.4x teleconverter, or ideally a good 2x TC. Venus is going to be ~58 arcsec in diameter, so some 32.5 times smaller than the Sun. Using a 1000mm lens on a K-5 you get 1.05 pixels/arcsec, so the size of Venus on your photograph will be ~60 pixels. I recommend this site for practically all information regarding the transit, including your local times of visibility: http://www.transitofvenus.org If you have an observatory or astronomy club near by, check to see if they're organising an event for the occasion. If they are I'd recommend going to take a look through a powerful telescope, even if you take your gear along and also take photos. Cheers, —M. \/\/o/\/\ --> http://WorldOfMiserere.com http://EnticingTheLight.com A Quest for Photographic Enlightenment -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
On May 31, 2012, at 6:22 AM, Darren Addy wrote: > I get a little nervous when we suggest putting a filter behind optical > elements (when the subject is the sun). > Focused (or semi-focused?) sun rays might increase the heat build-up > in the dark glass of the filter which could lead to the filter > cracking/breaking. Yes I saw similar advice somewhere the other day, the article I read said you MUST put the filter at the FRONT of the lens for precisely this reason. I'd recommend following such advice because there's too much at stake. If the weather is suitable I will probably just use my binoculars to project an image. Not sure if I'll bother trying to photograph it. Dave -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 11:22 AM, Jostein wrote: > The front element of the K-500 is pretty big, so buying a filter for > it will be very expensive. IIRC, there's no filter tray on the lens Yeah, I looked it up on Boz's site and not only are there no front filter threads (which I knew), but the outside diameter of the permanent hood is 127mm (5"). This is a size that I've found NO ONE makes in slip-on filters for telescopes, so my only option is to buy a sheet of mylar solar filter material. Fortunately, I've found a telescope shop over in San Francisco that has it in stock, so I think I'll be able to just tape a sheet over the front of my lens, or maybe make some sort of cardboard holder for it so I don't get light creeping in from the sides. Thanks, everyone, for the tips and suggestions. Turns out there's a lot to know when it comes to photographing our closest star! John -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 1:15 PM, AlunFoto wrote: > The front element of the K-500 is pretty big, so buying a filter for > it will be very expensive. IIRC, there's no filter tray on the lens, > but possible to screw the lens apart just behind the focusing ring. > It's been a few years since I sold mine so my memory is a little hazy > on the details, but do have a look. If a filter can be fitted inside > it could save you a bit of fuss. I get a little nervous when we suggest putting a filter behind optical elements (when the subject is the sun). Focused (or semi-focused?) sun rays might increase the heat build-up in the dark glass of the filter which could lead to the filter cracking/breaking. Just recommending an abundance of caution when messing with things that might put eyesight and expensive cameras at risk. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
Chiming in late here. Just realised that mail-archive.com is making a duplicate archive of our proceedings, but without the bandwidth restriction. The front element of the K-500 is pretty big, so buying a filter for it will be very expensive. IIRC, there's no filter tray on the lens, but possible to screw the lens apart just behind the focusing ring. It's been a few years since I sold mine so my memory is a little hazy on the details, but do have a look. If a filter can be fitted inside it could save you a bit of fuss. One source of filters (in the US) is here: http://thousandoaksoptical.com/solar.html I think 500mm will serve you good for the Venus transit. The transit back in 2004 happened when Adelheid and I were touring the Atlantic coast after GFM, and I got a few shots using fog rolling off the ocean as a natural filter, just after sunrise when the sun was still low above the horizon. I used the FA*400/5.6. To give you an idea of the crop, here's one that made it into the PPG: http://pentaxphotogallery.com/photos/share/239422 Fingers crossed for good weather... :-) Jostein John Celio wrote: > I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on > June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you > guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, > or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using > my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough > filter, and I'll need to do that soon. > Thanks, > John -- http://www.alunfoto.no/galleri/ http://alunfoto.blogspot.com -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
I tried a very different method last time: http://www.thrane.name/Pictures/Anythings/files/page9-1037-full.html http://www.thrane.name/Pictures/Anythings/files/page9-1036-full.html You can use one eye of a binocular (or a monocular) and by adjusting a bit you are able to project an image of the sun on the floor, wall, etc. I simply put a sheet of paper on the floor. If you mount the binocular on a tripod you will be able to follow the passage with you own eyes. I didn´t have a tripod mount on mine so I held it in my hand (you see the shadow of my thumb in one of the pictures). Not as sharp as it would be the ordinary way, but more fun :-) DagT Den 29. mai 2012 kl. 20:32 skrev John Celio: > I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on > June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you > guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, > or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using > my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough > filter, and I'll need to do that soon. > > Thanks, > John > > P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last > Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see > the outback and more of Tasmania. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
Nice page to calculate local transit times: http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/where-when/local-transit-times/ Looks like from my location I would get to see exactly 4 hours of a 6 hr and 44 min. event before the sun sets. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
Thanks for the info. It's been a very long time since I used welder's glass, and I'd forgotten that different grades were available. At 11:27 PM -0400 5/29/12, Michael Beacom wrote: Check out this page for some safety notes when using welding filters: http://www.transitofvenus.org/faq/354-can-i-use-welding-glass-to-view-the-sun I'm going to take my telescope to work, and try some solar photography (with a Baader solar film filter for the telescope) this week, for a bit of practice. Cheers Mike On May 29, 2012, at 10:02 PM, Steve Sharpe wrote: At 11:32 AM -0700 5/29/12, John Celio wrote: I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough filter, and I'll need to do that soon. Try taping a piece of welder's glass over the front of the lens. However, 500mm may not be enough to see much. I've got a home made solar filter that I made decades ago out of a mylar emergency blanket folded several times over. It goes on the front of my Celestron 5 telescope. The C5 has a 1250mm focal length so I get a nice, big image of the Sun. However, I'm expecting to be clouded out...again. It's that time of year, here in Nova Scotia. -- Steve Sharpe d...@eastlink.ca * http://earth.delith.com/photo_gallery.html -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- Steve Sharpe d...@eastlink.ca http://earth.delith.com/photo_gallery.html -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
To be specific, a No. 14 welding glass (only) is safe. Do not stack lesser opacities. If you have a narrow telephoto, like the preset Takumar 200mm f/5.6 (which has a 49mm filter size) you might be able to get by with a 2-1/4" glass (and use a teleconverter). -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
Check out this page for some safety notes when using welding filters: http://www.transitofvenus.org/faq/354-can-i-use-welding-glass-to-view-the-sun I'm going to take my telescope to work, and try some solar photography (with a Baader solar film filter for the telescope) this week, for a bit of practice. Cheers Mike On May 29, 2012, at 10:02 PM, Steve Sharpe wrote: > At 11:32 AM -0700 5/29/12, John Celio wrote: >> I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on >> June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you >> guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, >> or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using >> my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough >> filter, and I'll need to do that soon. > > > Try taping a piece of welder's glass over the front of the lens. However, > 500mm may not be enough to see much. > > I've got a home made solar filter that I made decades ago out of a mylar > emergency blanket folded several times over. It goes on the front of my > Celestron 5 telescope. The C5 has a 1250mm focal length so I get a nice, big > image of the Sun. > > However, I'm expecting to be clouded out...again. It's that time of year, > here in Nova Scotia. > > -- > > Steve Sharpe > d...@eastlink.ca > • > > http://earth.delith.com/photo_gallery.html > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
At 11:32 AM -0700 5/29/12, John Celio wrote: I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough filter, and I'll need to do that soon. Try taping a piece of welder's glass over the front of the lens. However, 500mm may not be enough to see much. I've got a home made solar filter that I made decades ago out of a mylar emergency blanket folded several times over. It goes on the front of my Celestron 5 telescope. The C5 has a 1250mm focal length so I get a nice, big image of the Sun. However, I'm expecting to be clouded out...again. It's that time of year, here in Nova Scotia. -- Steve Sharpe d...@eastlink.ca http://earth.delith.com/photo_gallery.html -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
Quoting John Celio : P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see the outback and more of Tasmania. Glad you enjoyed your visit. Hopefully, next time I'll be in town when you're in town -- Cheers Brian ++ Brian Walters Western Sydney Australia http://lyons-ryan.org/southernlight/ -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
On May 29, 2012, at 14:28, Darren Addy wrote: > > > I don't really have the means to do this, > I don't think. My plan is to wait for Thierry Legault's photos and just look at those. He seems to be the "transit photography expert" in this world. -Charles -- Charles Robinson - charl...@visi.com Minneapolis, MN http://charles.robinsontwins.org http://www.facebook.com/charles.robinson -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
VERY good video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiDheBRZrg0 If you are looking for a quick source of some Baader Astro Solar film, I suggest finding your local Astronomy club and seeing if you can beseech a kind soul to share/sell a small chunk with you. Many small clubs have mailing lists or at least a contact person who knows how to reach members quickly. I think I'm going to have to try this. Note the cautions. If there is ANY danger of wind blowing your box filter off the end of your lens, I would secure that thing as much as possible with copious amounts of duct tape or make something that holds on in an even more secure way -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
http://www.amateur-astronomy-guide.com/how-to-photograph-the-sun.html http://darkerview.com/wordpress/?p=4161 http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/How-to-Photograph-the-Solar-Eclipse-and-the-Transit-of-Venus-149902015.html http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/observing/photographing-the-transit/ You have a couple of difficulties... Venus is small compared to the sun, so to be able to see it you will need some healthy focal length (either lens or attached telescope). At that magnification, the sun won't stay in your field of view long, so you need to be somehow tracking it. If using a long telephoto on your camera it would be possible to piggyback it on a telescope that is tracking the sun. I'm guessing that the astronomical supply places are getting a lot of orders for solar filters right now from customers who want rush shipping. : ) I don't really have the means to do this, I don't think. I do have some Baader solar filter material (mylar) mentioned by Bob. However I just sold my two longest lenses in preparation for getting a Bigma, but won't have that in time. However, I still have a Tamron SP 60-300mm and matching 2x converter that could probably be pressed into service. Hm... -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
RE: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
For the 1999 eclipse I bought some sheets of mylar (I think) which can be used to photograph eclipses as a very high density ND filter. In the event the clouds got in the way, and in the short space when the sun was visible I photographed the images which my brother was projecting onto a piece of card through a telescope. If I remember correctly I photographed a partial eclipse through the same or similar filters, but used the camera and lens to project the image onto a card, so I wasn't looking directly at the sun but could see what was happening and open the shutter. The pictures weren't very good. This is a specialist activity and you need to take advice from specialists about it, otherwise you risk melting your own eyeballs, to say nothing of damaging your cameras. B > -Original Message- > From: pdml-boun...@pdml.net [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of > John Celio > Sent: 29 May 2012 19:32 > To: pdml@pdml.net > Subject: How to photograph the transit of Venus? > > I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on June > 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you guys have > tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, or would a > polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using my K 500mm > f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough filter, and > I'll need to do that soon. > > Thanks, > John > > P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last > Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see > the outback and more of Tasmania. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
I have a 6 inch telescope that has a special attachment for solar observations. Basically, instead of looking through the eyepiece, I focus the light from the eyepiece onto a square of white painted metal held beneath the eyepiece by a special bracket. I can place a piece of paper or a card on the metal (it also functions like an easel) so that I can draw on the paper to record the sun and location and size of sunspots. Of course, I can also just take an image of the sun's reflection on the metal or the paper with my camera. Dan Matyola http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 2:32 PM, John Celio wrote: > I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on > June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you > guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, > or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using > my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough > filter, and I'll need to do that soon. > > Thanks, > John > > P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last > Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see > the outback and more of Tasmania. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: How to photograph the transit of Venus?
Do not I repeat do not point your camera directly at the sun, it will do the same thing to it's sensor that it will do to your eye. No filter you can afford will work. There are methods of using something like a pinhole camera taking the photo of the back reflecting surface, (and by reflecting I mean a white surface, not a mirror, that only makes achieving blindness more complicated. On 5/29/2012 2:32 PM, John Celio wrote: I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough filter, and I'll need to do that soon. Thanks, John P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see the outback and more of Tasmania. -- Don't lose heart! They might want to cut it out, and they'll want to avoid a lengthily search. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
How to photograph the transit of Venus?
I want to try photographing the transit of Venus across the sun on June 5th, but I've never tried shooting the sun before. Any of you guys have tips you can share? Is there a special filter I should use, or would a polarizer or ND filter be sufficient? I'm planning on using my K 500mm f4.5, so I'll probably need to special order a large enough filter, and I'll need to do that soon. Thanks, John P.S.: Hey Aussie PDMLers, I loved your country! Just got home last Friday. I hope I get to go back to Australia soon, especially to see the outback and more of Tasmania. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
