Any ideas for Solar Eclipse

[mswlogo]

Just curious is any folks have ideas on leveraging their Drone during the Solar Eclipse.

I’m about 100 miles south of where it will be 100%

Didn’t know if I could do maybe a Timelapse looking down on the landscape.

 

[AnzacJack]

Timelapse would be cool

 

[Ralph thompson]

Remember if you are using the telephoto camera on the Mavic 3 Pro, you will have to track the movement otherwise the sun will move out of the frame. In the past I’ve used a 500mm lens on a tripod & it’s surprising how quickly the sun move through the frame. You need to get solar filter Mylar & tape it over the lens. BTW I don't see much benefit in using a drone, a full format raw capture camera (still or video) on a tripod on the ground will provide much better images

 

[EricJT]

Remember if you are using the telephoto camera on the Mavic 3 Pro, you will have to track the movement otherwise the sun will move out of the frame. In the past I’ve used a 500mm lens on a tripod & it’s surprising how quickly the sun move through the frame. You need to get solar filter Mylar & tape it over the lens. BTW I don't see much benefit in using a drone, a full format raw capture camera (still or video) on a tripod on the ground will provide much better images

It is amazing how quickly the sun moves across the sky. A number of years ago, I attached my DSLR to my telescope on a tripod, with the equivalent of a 1200mm lens....I had to lead the moon to be able to get the shots as it came into the frame.

 

[doncooke]

Just curious is any folks have ideas on leveraging their Drone during the Solar Eclipse.

I’m about 100 miles south of where it will be 100%

Didn’t know if I could do maybe a Timelapse looking down on the landscape.

I'm a full-time RVer and plan to observe from somewhere along totality, probably around Uvalde (!) Texas. My intention is to fly video (Mini II) 400' up, pointed in the direction the shadow's coming from. The shadow moves about 1500 MPH over the ground and I'm curious to see if this is an interesting video. I need to think about whether I should use automatic exposure or a fixed setting, possibly opening up once the shadow is over us. Probably the latter. Suggestions?

 

[AMann]

Not to be a droner downer, but I also wanted to do the same things with my M2P back during the 2017 eclipse. My plan was also to fly it up high to catch the approaching shadow across the landscape while I took photos of it with my long-lens and DSLR. We had 2 minutes or so of totality back then so I started it all rather calmly, but then the eclipse changed things drastically for me. I got caught up in watching the eclipse closing in on the sun and momentarily forgot about my hovering drone. There was just too much to do and it was keeping me from enjoying the eclipse. I quickly gave up on the drone and auto landed it and just watched it and took occasional photos of it instead. I know that this time is going to be over four minutes of totality but to be honest, you’re still going to be overwhelmed with what’s happening and I don’t think watching the eclipse, properly watching a drone and worrying about getting photos of it all at the same time would be a good idea. It will distract you from really relishing the experience. Just my humble opinion.

2017 Eclipse from near Boise, ID. AMann

 

[doncooke]

Thanks, Robert! I've seen a couple of totals plus the annular last October. I'm resigned never to get pictures of the sun as good as yours, and am more curious about seeing the shimmering light on a white surface just before and after totality making ripple pattern. Also watching the antics of other observers! Video: Eclipse Shimmer on tent. I think I can run the video as a background task...

 

[AMann]

Thanks, Robert! I've seen a couple of totals plus the annular last October. I'm resigned never to get pictures of the sun as good as yours, and am more curious about seeing the shimmering light on a white surface just before and after totality making ripple pattern. Also watching the antics of other observers! Video: Eclipse Shimmer on tent. I think I can run the video as a background task...

Is the shimmer from the sun and irregular edge of the moon or could it be from temperature differences and refraction of sunlight in our atmosphere when it and the land starts to cool off from the eclipse shadow itself?

 

[doncooke]

I've been told it's temperature differences in the much-narrowed "tube" of atmosphere that the tiny visible remains of direct sunlight go through. I guess that usually these get averaged out when the light is going through the much wider (angular ~30 minutes) tube.

 

[mobilehomer]

Don't forget, the real action is the 20 or so minutes before and after totality. That's why my recommendation to pick a spot with leaf shadows and do a stationary time lapse.