Total Solar Eclipse
Observations
Zimbabwe - June
21st 2001
Having seen my first
Total Solar Eclipse in Romania in 1999 I was hooked. The next
visible one was across Southern Africa, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Mozambique, Madagascar. Due to cost, and possible problems in
the region I chose an organised tour for Zimbabwe. The tour group
I went with were Explorer Tours. They were very good, and the
organisation was excellent considering how much we did in such
a short time. Only one problem was that the hotels were always
in built up areas so night skies were not too good. Not really
a complaint, just a shame to have missed some of the southern
sky sites.
As with Bucharest,
I decided to use a similar video system, and just let it run,
whilst watching the event. I would also try and take two shots
with a 8mm fish eye lens, and one with a small telephoto to get
a slightly wider field image than I expected from the video. Due
to problems with weight I had to leave the FCT76 at home, and
borrow a Sky patrol mount from Nick Hudson at True Technology
to run the camera. Public thanks to Nick for helping me out. The
location for the event was at a dryish riverbed behind Maname
School, in the North East of Zimbabwe, close to the Mozambique
border. It was a truly excellent setting.
...,, 
... ,, 
The equipment is similar
to last time, only this time I used a JVC KY-F55 3ccd camera and
a smaller lens a 180mm OM Zuiko. I could use a smaller lens as
the chip size was only 1/3rd inch. I was hoping that I would obtain
better image quality and resolution from the new system, again
I used a Sony Video Walkman to capture the images, and then transferred
them to a Sony Vaio laptop using the built in i-link facility.
I did have problems
with the drive due to poor alignment, and also the tripod sinking
in the sand, but from the video it was possible to get several
stills, and also Richard Robinson was able to put together an
animated GIF of these images.
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2nd Contact - Totality
- 3rd Contact
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Image taken of location
with 8mm fish eye lens, animation of complete eclipse by Richard
Robinson from video stills, and 150mm lens shot which had a light
leak into the camera - somehow?, it does make it interesting,
it was the only frame to be affected though - weird.
The links to Bucharest
1999 & Eclipse home below.
Romania
1999 .. Eclipse
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