Ready To Photograph The Next Solar Eclipse?

This isn’t an early warning; it’s a call to action!

Details

The beginning of the next solar eclipse to be seen in North America will first appear along the Pacific coast of Mexico south of the tip of Baja California at around 9:50 am MST (Mountain Standard Time) (or 12:50 EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings) on Monday, April 8th – in just seven weeks. From there, it will pass over San Antonio, Texas heading northeast. It will follow the U.S/Canada border from Lake Erie to Maine. Finally, it will exit the continent off of New Brunswick around 5:45 pm Atlantic Daylight Time (4:45 EDT).

In Florida

The best place in Florida to see the eclipse is in Jacksonville. In Miami, the moon will block about 46% of the sun; that’s less than the last eclipse on August 21, 2017 (where up to 78% was obscured). It will begin just after 1:45 pm (local time) when the sun bears SSW (south southwest or 199° True) at an altitude of 71°. The sun will reach its peak 74 minutes later (3:01 pm) when SWbW (southwest by west or 237° T) at a height of 60°. The eclipse will end before 4:15 pm when the sun drops to an altitude of 45° bearing WSW (254° T).

Plans?

Because of Nancy’s condition, we have made no plans for this one. I’ve spoken to a number of people who witnessed the last total eclipse; they unanimously agree that it was an unbelievable experience to which even television can’t do justice. If you want to photograph this eclipse, you better start making reservations now (and hope it’s not too late). Although you don’t strictly need them, you shouldn’t wait to the last minute to order those solar sunglasses either.

Tips

And whether you go or stay, the advice I gave is still valid^Link for shooting the eclipse with either a camera or your phone (Be sure to read the comments). If you need a cautionary tale about some of the unforeseen difficulties you might experience if you don’t plan ahead, see Making “Eclipse Over Long Pine Key”. If you later need help convincing viewers that you didn’t just shoot the phases of the moon, read the part below the picture in A Nighttime Solar Eclipse?”. There is other useful information in our blog. Our “Eclipse Over Long Pine Key” web page (whose link is in the caption below) has links to most of it. And if you are not satisfied with the pictures resulting from your adventure, we would be glad to sell you one of ours 😉. Good luck!