The Peek-a-boo Eclipse
8 April 2024
Fredericksburg, Texas
Unless otherwise noted, text and photos by Ed Hedemann (click on photos to enlarge)
Though weather was perfect a couple days before the eclipse, it was completely clouded over on April 8th. After first contact, the partially eclipsed sun could periodically be seen through the high thinner clouds as breaks occurred in the lower opaque clouds.
In fact, we weren’t sure we’d be able to see anything of totality until just a few seconds after it began (at 2nd contact), the corona appeared much to our great relief. So it went, during the 4 minutes and 23 seconds of totality. Our first peek-a-boo eclipse. About a minute after the end of totality ended (at 3rd contact) the lower clouds moved in to completely obscure the hour and 20 minutes remaining of the partial phases. Whew, we were lucky because just a few miles away clouds completely blocked totality.
All eclipse photos below were taken through clouds (partial phases through aluminized solar filter), using 600 mm lens (300 mm f/2.8 plus 2x extender) and Canon EOS 5D Mark 4 camera.
| THE CHRONOLOGY |
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At 12:15 (1st contact appears at the 3 o'clock position) as the moon takes first bite out of the sun. Note presence of sunspots (near center and on left side), soon to be covered by the moon. This was photographed through an aluminized solar filter, which blocks 99.999 percent of the sun's light. |
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Our set up in a Fredericksburg backyard at 12:53 — 40 minutes before totality (2nd contact). |
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Because the eclipse was only 13 degrees short of straight up, a lot of necks and backs were put to the test. Also, note lack of a clear blue sky. Photo by Ruth Benn. |
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The eclipse less than 8 minutes before totality (taken with a solar filter). |
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Sliver of sun remains just few seconds before totality (solar filter has been removed). |
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At 1:33 the diamond ring effect appears at 2nd contact. |
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The conona appears for first time just after 2nd contact. |
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About 9 prominences are visible on the leading edge of the eclipse. They are indicators of sunspot activity, which goes through an 11-year cycle, now about a year short of maximum. |
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Close up of prominences on the leading edge. |
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Full corona near mid-totality at 1:34 pm. |
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Around mid-eclipse heavy clouds begin to appear on the right, threatening to blot out the eclipse. |
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Trailing edge prominences just before 1:37 as totality is about to end. |
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cover of the next day's Austin American-Statesman, April 9, 2024 |
NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES
2026 Aug 12: Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain; max 2m 18s
2027 Aug 2: Spain, N. Africa, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia; max 6m 23s
2028 Jul 22: Australia, New Zealand; max 5m 10s
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