Solar Eclipse 2016

"2016" was a mistake.

The correct title and link are Solar Eclipse 2017

Solar Eclipse 2017

August 21. We headed for S.W. Kentucky and soon discovered we weren't the only ones. Bumper-to-bumper on the interstate, yikes! There were times I lost all hope of making it to the path in time but Nancy charted a new course and we made it to Central City with minutes to spare. 
Our location was in the driveway of a strip mine: 37.267529, -87.104159. 
Unless otherwise noted, the solar filter was attached to the camera.

The show was well under way by the time we got the camera up.
Wow - sunspots right from the get-go! 
IMG_0035-cs 13:16 CDT

We were right on the edge of the path, close enough for me. 
Solar filter removed.
IMG_0099-cs 13:24 CDT

Full-res crop for flare detail.
Solar filter removed.
IMG_0100-c 13:24 CDT

Even this out-of-focus shot is fun for the colour, I think. 
Solar filter removed. 

The famous "diamond ring". This is the only picture I did any kind of enhancement with (so far) other than scaling down and cropping. There was an internal reflection I had to remove, also I messed with the levels a bit. Filter still off.
IMG_0103-csL-edit  13:25 CDT

 Solar filter back on. 
IMG_0113-cs  13:26 CDT 

More sunspots.
IMG_0113-cs  14:04 CDT

The obligatory solar-selfie. 
 Didn't realise the phone was in some weird 'enhancement' mode.
Note: big lens shown above not used, the camera below did all the work.

Solar filter mounted on Canon SX60 HS. 

At the same place Nancy found this, wants to know is it juniper? 
Not juniper it seems... help still needed.

Location location location. Just south of Central City, Muhlenberg County. 
We crossed the Green River to get there too!

Did I mention the traffic? I can relate to this comic strip on the subject.
 

Ages ago I read in an astronomy magazine about someone going to great lengths to spot the last old moon crescent, and then the first new moon all in one day, on a mountaintop in Hawaii if memory serves.

It occurred to me the solar eclipse may be the only time we get to watch the moon transform from old moon to new moon in a matter of minutes.

2017 Summer Part 2

Getting acquainted with Powershot SX60 HS.

First shots, August 12. It was someone else's lunar photo that drew my attention to this camera's zoom capability. This (mine) is uncropped at max optical zoom (x65).

Also uncropped, this is at max optical plus digital zoom. 
Time to pull out the Moon book and ID some of those craters!

Hand-held, zoomed in on local bunny. I think this is the younger one I often see.

Dragonfly at Diehl Lake, Aug 13. Maybe a bit smaller than what I think of as the typical dragonfly, but I don't recall seeing one of this colouring before. Maybe it's a water specialist. The little blob at left is one of many little insects on the lake surface.

 

Clouds so wispy on drive home.

Aug. 17, male American Goldfinch.
What has he been eating? I dunno.
Fool disclosure: I melded two images to extend the wonderful background colour on the left. 

This looks worse than it should because it's very low res. and Youtube has scaled it up.

Export, August 12

 Black snake on Dad's house. Uploading video of this, my first with new Powershot SX60 HS (answering the question will it autofocus with video).