Free Astronomy Magazine May-June 2024

7 MAY-JUNE 2024 ASTRO PUBLISHING build temples and pyramids to ap- pease the wrath of the gods. For us astrophotographers, totality was also the beginning of a frenetic and stressful activity. Magnificent protuberances adorned the edge of the dark disk, visible to the naked eye. Of course, you must remember to remove the filter in front of the telescope and take photos to high- light both the protuberances, with a short exposure times (from ap- proximately 1/1000 to 1/2000, at 100 ISO), and the more-or-less extended corona, with longer exposures (from 1/500 up to 1/25). However, the veil of clouds attenu- ated the outermost corona, which only barely appears in the photos, mixed with the reflection on the clouds. This same veil also pre- vented us from seeing the flying shadows, just before totality, seen so well in 2017. On the camera screen on the back of my 60mm re- fractor, the cirrus clouds gliding gently eastward in front of the Sun, created a sparkle of the solar corona and adding a surprising element to this eclipse. The duration of 4 minutes and 12 seconds at our ob- servation site may seem long, but everyone who was busy taking pho- tos found that it passed too quickly because we were busy choosing the right settings on the cameras. Between one photo and another, one must also remember to raise your head to appreciate the show with your own eyes! The most far- sighted observers prepare a sound- track that describes the moment of the eclipse in detail, so as not to be surprised by the passage of time. Even though we know that we must prepare well, we never manage to apply the planned program at the moment of totality. The sudden appearance of the sec- ond diamond, to the right of the Sun, decreed the end of totality, taking us by surprise! Just enough A wide field of the eclipse shows the planet Venus, made visible thanks to the darkening of the sky during the totality phase. [F. Blateyron] time to replace the filter, and the clamor of joy and applause re- sounded on the beach. A feeling of relief and emotion invaded us, relieved to have been able to see this beautiful eclipse despite the cloudy veil. Just the day before, we thought we would resign ourselves to the idea that perhaps the clouds would ruin our trip. For my part, it was my third total eclipse, and I'm already thinking about the next one, in 2026, in Spain, or perhaps in Iceland, then in 2027, in Egypt, for one of the long- est totalities: 6 minutes and 30 sec- onds. In our group, some were on their seventh or tenth eclipse! Any- one who has seen one in good con- dition can only want to see another. Curiously, the partial phase following the totality seems significantly less important. Several participants had already collected their equipment, others stayed until the end. We had left for the eclipse, but also to visit Mexico for two weeks, and see the most beautiful archaeological sites, from the Pacific coast to the tip of the Yucatán, discovering the culture, gastronomy, and craftsmanship of each of the regions we crossed. We were finally able to breathe and enjoy the journey, while also finding time to process our numerous photos and write these rows. ►