Partial Solar Eclipse in New York City – August 12, 2026

Maximum partial solar eclipse visible from New York City – August 12, 2026. About 9% of the Sun was covered by the Moon.

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse crossed parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and a small part of Portugal. New York City was far outside the path of totality, but we still had a chance to see a partial solar eclipse, with about 9% of the Sun covered by the Moon at maximum eclipse.

I photographed the eclipse from New York City using a Canon EOS Ra with a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens and Canon Extender EF 2x III, giving an effective focal length of 400mm. A Thousand Oaks 72-T threaded solar filter was used for all photographs.

For all photographs I kept the aperture fixed at f/8 for consistent sharpness, while varying the shutter speed and ISO to find the best exposure for showing the solar surface and sunspots. Because of these different exposure settings, the apparent color of the solar disk varies slightly between the images, from a deeper reddish-orange to a lighter, almost white appearance. In the darker, more reddish exposures, the contrast of the sunspots is generally stronger and they are easier to see.

The image above shows the maximum partial eclipse visible from New York City. The photographs below show the eclipse in chronological order, beginning when the Moon first started moving across the edge of the Sun.

Several groups of sunspots are also visible in the photographs. I identified three of them as AR4508, AR4507, and AR4503 using the solar images and active-region labels published by SpaceWeather.com. The active region AR4506 was also present on the Sun but was not clearly visible in my photographs.

Beginning of the Solar Eclipse

Canon EOS Ra, Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM + Canon Extender EF 2x III (400mm), f/8, 1/640 sec, ISO 3200

This photograph was taken just a few minutes after the partial eclipse began at about 1:07 p.m. EDT. The Moon had just started moving onto the solar disk. Sunspot groups AR4508, AR4507, and AR4503 are visible across the Sun.

Partial Solar Eclipse over New York City

Canon EOS Ra, 400mm, f/8, 1/160 sec, ISO 320

The Moon moves farther across the edge of the Sun while the three sunspot groups remain clearly visible.

Solar Eclipse Progression

Canon EOS Ra, 400mm, f/8, 1/160 sec, ISO 400.

As the eclipse progresses, the curved dark edge of the Moon becomes more pronounced against the bright solar disk.

Partial Solar Eclipse Near Maximum

Canon EOS Ra, 400mm, f/8, 1/160 sec, ISO 200.

This photograph was taken later in the eclipse, when the Moon had moved farther across the solar disk and the eclipse was getting close to its maximum as seen from New York City.

Maximum Partial Solar Eclipse in NYC

The first image at the top of this post shows the maximum eclipse visible from New York City. Maximum eclipse occurred at about 1:54 p.m. EDT, when approximately 9% of the Sun was covered by the Moon. The photograph was taken with a Canon EOS Ra at 400mm, f/8, 1/160 sec and ISO 500.

Although this was very different from the spectacular total solar eclipse seen along the path of totality in Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, it was still an amazing astronomical event to observe and photograph from New York City.

The combination of the Moon's silhouette and several groups of sunspots made this relatively small partial eclipse especially interesting through a 400mm telephoto lens.

What a Simple Eclipse Photo Can Show

Looking more carefully at the photographs led to another interesting question. The visible sunspot groups provide reference points on the solar disk and allow us to roughly reconstruct the orientation of the Sun's equatorial region and rotation axis. The curved limb of the Moon then gives another direction in the same image.

Geometry of the August 12, 2026 partial solar eclipse from New York City. The annotation shows the approximate solar equator and rotation axis, the orientation of the Moon's limb, and visible sunspot groups AR4508, AR4507 and AR4503. The lines are approximate and intended to illustrate how eclipse photography can reveal the geometry of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.

At first this looks like simple geometry, but it quickly leads to much deeper astronomy. The orientation of the Moon during an eclipse depends on the tilt of the Sun's rotation axis, the inclination of the Moon's orbit, the geometry of the Earth-Moon-Sun system, and our position on the rotating Earth. Topocentric parallax also matters: it is not only the apparent displacement of the nearby Moon, but the way that displacement changes as the observer moves with Earth's rotation that modifies the Moon's apparent path across the Sun.

The annotated image below shows the approximate solar equator, solar rotation axis, visible sunspot groups, and orientation of the lunar limb. These lines should be considered an illustration rather than a precision measurement, but they show how much information can be hidden in a seemingly simple eclipse photograph.

This is one of the things I enjoy most about astrophotography. A photograph can begin simply as a record of what was visible in the sky, but looking at it more closely can lead to questions about the Sun's rotation, the Moon's orbit, parallax, Earth's rotation, and the three-dimensional geometry of a solar eclipse. Sometimes a simple photograph is only the starting point for going much deeper into astronomy.

Related Solar Eclipse Astrophotography Posts

• Baily's Beads - Total Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024
• The Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024 During Totality, Seen from Westport, New York
• A Celestial Surprise: Capturing Comet SOHO-5008 During the Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024
• The Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024: An HDR Revelation of the Sun's Corona from Westport, New York
• Total Solar Eclipse - April 8, 2024 | Westport, New York
• Annular Solar Eclipse - October 14, 2023 | Odessa, Texas
• New York City Solar Eclipse - June 10, 2021 - Astrophotography
• Tennessee Astrophotography - Great American Eclipse - Total Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017
• Solar Eclipse from New York November 3, 2013 - Astrophotography
• Solar Eclipse New York - 11/3/2013
• NYC Solar Eclipse

Camel on a Dune Under the Starry Sahara Sky – Merzouga, Morocco

This photo was taken at night in the Sahara Desert near Merzouga, Morocco. A camel and its keeper are standing on the top of a sand dune under a clear, star-filled sky. Above the camel and its keeper, both the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper can be recognized in the Sahara sky.

Camel on a Dune Under the Starry Sahara Sky – Merzouga, Morocco

One of the most interesting details in this image is the light. On the far side of the dune, much lower and outside the frame, there was a desert camp. The camp itself is not visible, but even this relatively weak light was enough to illuminate the camel and its keeper. That subtle light illuminated the camel and its keeper just enough to create a striking silhouette against the dark dune and the night sky.

This combination of desert landscape, human presence, and recognizable stars made the moment especially memorable. The camel and keeper standing on the crest of the dune give the scene a timeless feeling, while the starry sky above connects the quiet Sahara night with the wider universe.

This image was made as a panorama of 3 photos using a Canon EOS Ra camera with a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens at 16mm. Exposure settings were f/2.8, ISO 12800, 15 seconds. The photo was taken on April 7, 2026.

Finding Polaris in the Sahara Sky

This photo also shows a classic way to identify Polaris, the North Star. The two outer stars of the bowl of the Big Dipper, known as the pointer stars, can be used to find Polaris. If you follow the line from these stars outward, it leads to Polaris, which marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.

Even in a desert landscape far from city lights, this simple star pattern remains one of the easiest and most famous ways to navigate the night sky.

Annotated Sahara night sky showing the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Polaris above a camel and its keeper on a dune in Merzouga, Morocco.

Related Big Dipper and Africa Astrophotography Posts

This Sahara Desert image connects both with my Big Dipper astrophotography collection and with other Africa night sky photos from my travels.

• Big Dipper (Ursa Major) Astrophotography Around the World
• Big Dipper (Ursa Major constellation) over Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone, Wyoming
• Reflection of Ursa Major (Big Dipper) in Grand Teton Nightscape Astrophotography
• Tanzania Cloudy Astrophotography
• Why the Equatorial Sky Glows More Red — Tanzania & Galápagos Astrophotography Experience
• Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab — Tarangire, Tanzania

Tanzania Cloudy Astrophotography

These are several astrophotography images from Tanzania that did not make it into my earlier post featuring the Rainbow Milky Way. That previous post focused on rare color and clarity, while these images were captured during a much cloudier night.

Although clouds often end an astrophotography session, in this case they added atmosphere and depth to the scene. With no Moon in the sky, the clouds appear as dark silhouettes against the star field and the Milky Way, creating a very different mood compared to clear-sky images.

All photos were taken at Nyikani Migration Camp, Tanzania on September 21.

Camera: Canon EOS Ra
Lens: Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM
Exposure: f/3.2 · ISO 6400 · 15 sec
Technique: Panorama (4 images)

Two safari tents frame the central part of the Milky Way. With no Moon present, clouds appear as dark shapes cutting through the star field.

In the first image, two safari tents are visible in the foreground, with the central part of the Milky Way positioned under them. The sky was completely moonless, allowing the clouds to show up as dark structures against the stars rather than reflecting light.

A single safari tent under the Milky Way, surrounded by trees and passing clouds.

In the second image, the Milky Way rises directly above a safari tent, with a green tree visible in the foreground. Both images were taken as close to the camp as possible, keeping the scene simple and grounded in the immediate surroundings.

These photographs are much simpler than the Rainbow Milky Way panorama, but they document another side of night photography in Tanzania — where clouds, darkness, and proximity to the landscape all play a role in shaping the final image.

Related Tanzania Astrophotography

• Why the Equatorial Sky Glows More Red — Tanzania & Galápagos Astrophotography Experience
• Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab — Tarangire, Tanzania

Drive Safely Between the Milky Way and the Haystack

This is an old photograph from my archive — one that I shared years ago on Flickr and Facebook, but somehow never published on my blog. Probably I was simply too busy at the time. Yet I always liked this image. It belongs to my small but meaningful series of philosophical, minimalistic astrophotography.

The photograph was taken in White Lake, Sullivan County, in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. It is a very simple, single exposure image — but sometimes simplicity tells the strongest story.

Canon EOS 60Da, EF16–35mm f/2.8L II USM
ISO 6400 · f/2.8 · 15 seconds

Drive Safely Between the Milky Way and the Haystack — Minimalist Nightscape, Catskills

With a 15-second exposure, the headlights of a passing car turn into a glowing light path. This streak of light creates an illusion of motion beyond normal driving — it looks like a jump drive, hyperdrive, warp jump, or even an interstellar teleporter.

In the foreground you can see the Haystack, partially blocking the light trail. That small interruption adds depth and makes the scene feel truly three-dimensional. Below it all, near the horizon, the bright central region of the Milky Way quietly glows.

Looking at this image, I can’t help but think: “Drive safely between the Milky Way and the Haystack.”

Sometimes I imagine this photograph as a road sign — something you might see near an observatory or astronomy club. A reminder that even an ordinary night drive can pass through something cosmic.

This image continues my series of minimalistic astrophotography ideas started years ago, including:

• Canon 60Da Milky Way Astrophotography — Catskill Mountains, New York
  Including the image “Now I know where the Milky Way comes from”
• Milky Way over Yellowstone National Park — Old Faithful Geyser
  A “missing” Yellowstone legend — one that connects Old Faithful, nature, and the Milky Way
• A Tree and the Milky Way
  Minimalist astrophotography and scale between Earth and galaxy
• Grand Teton Milky Way Astrophotography
  The “Fifth Element” — a philosophical composition of Earth, water, air, fire, and the Milky Way
• Unintentional Camera Movement Astrophotography
  Motion, light trails, and science-fiction associations

Interestingly, both this image and the photograph from Unintentional Camera Movement Astrophotography often remind me of science-fiction films — especially Back to the Future and Star Wars.

Sometimes astrophotography is not just about stars, but about motion, imagination, and the thin line between everyday reality and the universe beyond.

Argentina Astrophotography – El Chaltén Night Sky

In 2024 I traveled to Argentina, and one of the most unforgettable experiences of the trip was a night hike near El Chaltén. The region is famous for its dramatic mountains, glaciers, and hiking trails—but it also offers incredibly dark skies. This part of Patagonia is far from large cities, giving you a truly pristine view of the southern hemisphere’s night sky.

This was my first time photographing the sky from Argentina, and I was immediately amazed at how different the stars looked compared to the northern hemisphere. The southern sky reveals Crux (the Southern Cross), the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, and the bright arc of the Milky Way rising over the mountain silhouettes. These are objects we cannot see at all from most of North America. Patagonia's exceptionally dark skies make these features stand out even more in long-exposure night photography.

Milky Way rising above the mountains of El Chaltén, Argentina. This 3-image panorama was captured during my night hike in Patagonia using the Canon EOS Ra. The southern sky was extremely dark, revealing the Milky Way arc, the Southern Cross, and faint Magellanic Clouds above the silhouette of the Andes.

Wide 4-image Milky Way panorama photographed near El Chaltén, Argentina. Taken with the Canon EOS Ra under pristine Patagonia skies, the image shows the Milky Way stretching across the horizon with beautiful detail in the galactic structure. Soft background glow from distant mountain huts adds depth to the landscape.

Equipment and Camera Settings

All images were taken with:

• Canon EOS Ra (mirrorless astrophotography camera)
• Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM wide-angle lens

Image Set 1:
Canon EOS Ra, EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/2.8; ISO 12800, 5 sec exposure
Panorama of 3 images — captured on January 12, 2024 at 11 PM.

Image Set 2:
Canon EOS Ra, EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/2.8; ISO 12800, 10 sec exposure
Panorama of 4 images — captured on January 13, 2024.

First Results of the Night Hike

These panoramas are the first results from my night hike. The mountains around El Chaltén create beautiful silhouettes, and in some shots you can see a faint background glow from distant mountain huts. Even with the glow, the sky remained extremely dark—perfect for capturing detail in the Milky Way.

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) were easily visible to the naked eye. Seeing them for the first time is an unforgettable moment for any astrophotographer. They look like two small detached “clouds,” but they are actually dwarf galaxies orbiting our Milky Way.

A New Sky, A New Experience

Photographing the southern sky feels like discovering a different universe. The familiar northern constellations vanish, replaced with stars and structures I had never seen before. Crux, the Southern Cross, stands high above the horizon and serves as a perfect anchor for night panoramas.

Location: El Chaltén, Argentina • Patagonia
Year: 2024 Travel (images processed in 2025)

Related Astrophotography Posts

• Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab — Tarangire, Tanzania
• Yellowstone Astrophotography
• Grand Teton National Park Nightscape Astrophotography Colter Bay Village Starry Sky Canon 60Da
• Arches National Park Astrophotography
• The Milky Way Over the Sailing Stone: A Night Under the Stars at Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, California

What Happened to Meade & Orion? A Major Shift in the Telescope Industry

For decades, Meade Instruments and Orion Telescopes & Binoculars were two of the most familiar names in amateur astronomy. Many beginners bought their first telescope from these brands, and advanced users relied on products like the Meade LX200, Coronado solar telescopes, Orion Dobsonians, and countless accessories.

But between 2019 and 2024, both companies went through major financial and operational trouble. Today, they are no longer manufacturing new telescopes, and their remaining inventory has been liquidated to retailers.

The Decline of Meade Instruments

Meade filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2019 after losing an antitrust lawsuit involving price fixing. Even after being acquired by Orion’s parent company, operations in California gradually shut down. By mid-2024, reports confirmed that Meade’s U.S. offices were closed and staff were laid off. The brand effectively stopped active production.

What Happened to Orion Telescopes?

Orion, founded in 1975, was primarily a U.S.-based retailer selling telescopes manufactured overseas. In 2024, after supply-chain issues and financial strain, their parent company also shut down its California offices. Orion’s website stopped working for long periods and warranty support became uncertain.

Impact on Astronomers and Telescope Owners

This situation has been disappointing for many hobbyists. These brands served:

• Beginners needing affordable starter telescopes
• Advanced users relying on Meade’s Schmidt-Cassegrain systems
• Solar observers using Coronado H-Alpha telescopes

With operations shut down, users now face questions about long-term support, spare parts, and warranty service.

Where to Find Remaining Inventory

One major retailer, High Point Scientific, has acquired a large portion of the remaining Meade, Coronado, and Orion inventory. This includes telescopes, mounts, and accessories.

If you are looking for new old stock — for example a Meade LX200, Coronado solar scope, or Orion accessories — they currently offer a clearance page:

High Point Scientific – Meade & Orion Clearance Inventory

Note: This link leads to a temporary sale page. The inventory is finite and support for these products may become limited in the future.

Should You Buy Remaining Meade or Orion Equipment?

It can be a good deal if:

• You want significant discounts
• You already own Meade/Orion gear and need spare parts
• You understand that warranty and long-term support may be limited

For long-term stability and ongoing product support, many astronomers now recommend brands such as Celestron, Sky-Watcher, Explore Scientific, and various U.S. boutique makers.

The Telescope Community Will Continue

Although the loss of Meade and Orion is a big change, the hobby of astronomy remains strong. New manufacturers, better optics, improved mounts, and advanced astrophotography tools continue to grow.

If you’re new to astronomy or considering upgrading your equipment, there are still many excellent options available — and retailers like High Point Scientific, OPT, and Agena AstroProducts can help guide you.

This situation is an important moment in telescope history, but not the end of amateur astronomy. The sky is still there — and better equipment than ever is available.

Why the Equatorial Sky Glows More Red — Tanzania & Galápagos Astrophotography Experience

During my last trip to Tanzania, I spent several nights photographing the Milky Way with strong equatorial red airglow under perfectly dark skies near the magnetic equator. What caught my attention almost immediately was something unexpected — on photos the sky looked unusually reddish.

Milky Way with equatorial red airglow over Nyikani Migration Camp in Tanzania, photographed near the magnetic equator.

Canon EOS Ra, Canon EF200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, f/3.2; ISO 12800, 15 sec. one photo, Panorama 21 images, combine in Photoshop, September 22, 2025, Nyikani Migration Camp, Tanzania - Equatorial red airglow

       At first, I thought it was just a trick of the weather.

      But the reddish tone wasn’t just a one-night surprise — it appeared the second night, and again the third night, no matter where I set up my tripod.

Canon EOS Ra, Canon EF200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, f/3.2; ISO 20000, 20 sec. one photo, Panorama 21 images, combine in Photoshop, September 23, 2025, Signature Serengeti Camp, Tanzania - Equatorial red airglow

Canon EOS Ra, Canon EF200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, f/3.2; ISO 25600, 15 sec. one photo, Panorama 21 images, combine in Photoshop, September 26, 2025, Tarangire National Park, Tanzania - Equatorial red airglow

      Later, I went back through some of my older photos taken a few years earlier in the Galápagos Islands, and there it was again — that same faint red glow in the sky background.

Canon EOS 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 16.0 sec; f/2.8; ISO 6400, about 40 photos, combine in Photoshop, Feb 23, 2018, Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island, Galapagos, Ecuador - Equatorial red airglow

    Four photos, two locations, years apart… and the same pattern. All were taken under dark, moonless skies far from city lights. The red glow wasn’t from pollution — it was coming from the atmosphere itself.

      So I started digging to find out why.

Why It’s Redder Near the Equator

      After reading through scientific papers and observing reports, I found that this red dominance near the equator isn’t a coincidence — it’s a well-known pattern. In scientific literature, some of these large-scale equatorial red airglow patterns are described as intertropical arcs, a technical term for 630 nm nightglow structures seen near the geomagnetic equator.

      Near the magnetic equator, the upper atmosphere gets more direct sunlight and stronger ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. That creates more ionization and more energetic electrons high above Earth. When those electrons recombine with oxygen atoms at night, they emit bright red 630 nm light.

      Meanwhile, the lower green-emitting layer is denser and warmer in tropical regions. Collisions there often “quench” the green light before it can shine. So while both colors exist everywhere, the red layer wins near the equator — especially during periods of strong solar activity like the one we’re in now.

Toy model: Airglow “color” vs latitude (Green 557.7 nm / Red 630.0 nm)

A Simple Way to Imagine It

Think of it like two glowing shells around Earth:

• A lower green shell — thicker air, more collisions, so light is often quenched
• A higher red shell — thinner air, stronger ionization, shining freely into space.

At higher latitudes, the green layer shines more clearly. Near the equator, the red shell becomes brighter and overshadows it. My camera was basically looking through more of that red upper layer, capturing a stronger crimson glow.

The Beauty of Accidental Science

I didn’t set out to study airglow — I was just chasing the Milky Way. But sometimes astrophotography turns into a kind of quiet citizen science. My four “anecdotal” photos ended up showing a real global trend that scientists have been measuring for decades. It is also worth noting that the photos were taken with astronomy-oriented cameras — the Canon EOS Ra in Tanzania and the Canon EOS 60Da in the Galápagos — whose enhanced sensitivity to deep red wavelengths may have made this faint equatorial airglow easier to capture.

It’s a reminder that even casual night photographers can notice patterns that connect directly to planetary physics. Next time you shoot the night sky near the tropics, look closely when you process your images. If you see a faint red haze in the background, that’s not light pollution or a white-balance mistake — it’s Earth’s upper atmosphere glowing.

Final Thoughts

Standing under the African night with the Milky Way overhead and the warm breeze on my face, I realized that the sky’s color is not fixed. Even in darkness, our planet shines with its own quiet heartbeat — a breath of red light from hundreds of kilometers above.

The next time you photograph a dark sky, remember: sometimes your camera captures more than stars — it records the living atmosphere of the Earth itself.

Related Astrophotography Posts

• Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab — Tarangire, Tanzania
• Milky Way over Galapagos Astrophotography
• Crux (Southern Cross), Milky Way and Palm Tree - Galapagos Night Sky Astrophotography
• Large Magellanic Cloud - Galapagos Night Landscape Astrophotography
• Sky Ladder - Galapagos Nightscape Astrophotography

Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab — Tarangire, Tanzania

On the midnight of September 26, 2025, under the deep African sky, I captured one of the most surreal moments of light and life. The photograph — a 21-image panorama taken with my Canon EOS Ra and Canon EF 200 mm f/2.8L II USM lens (f/3.2, ISO 25 600, 15 s exposure) — reveals the Milky Way arcing like a celestial rainbow above a solitary baobab tree in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania.

Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab - Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

This is a single-night image, stitched in Photoshop, but it carries the weight of millennia — both cosmic and earthly.

The Baobab: The Tree of Life

At the center of the frame stands the baobab (Adansonia digitata), often called the Tree of Life. Native to the dry savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, this extraordinary species grows in scattered populations across Tanzania, Madagascar, and parts of the Sahel. Baobabs can live for over 2 000 years — some carbon-dated specimens have reached 2 500 to 3 000 years old — silently witnessing the passing of generations, civilizations, and climates.

Baobab

Their immense trunks, often more than 10 meters in diameter, are actually natural reservoirs; a single tree can hold up to 120 000 liters of water within its fibrous tissue. In the dry season, elephants and baboons are sometimes seen peeling their bark to reach the moisture inside.

In African folklore, the baobab is a sacred symbol — a meeting of heaven and earth. Its branches, reaching skyward like roots, gave rise to legends that the gods planted it upside-down. Standing beside one beneath the Milky Way, the resemblance to a cosmic silhouette feels almost intentional.

Tarangire: The Quiet Heart of the Savanna

Located just south of the equator in northern Tanzania, Tarangire National Park is a sanctuary of vast plains, ancient river valleys, and herds of elephants. Its skies are among the clearest and darkest in East Africa, especially during the dry season from June to October.

That night, around midnight, the air was perfectly still. The southern Milky Way rose high overhead, and the galactic core shimmered in a curtain of color rarely visible to the naked eye.

The Airglow

The subtle green, red, and orange tones in the photo are not from city lights — they are natural airglow, an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when molecules in the upper atmosphere (about 85–100 km up) emit faint light after being energized by the Sun during the day.

Contrary to popular belief, strong airglow is not limited to the poles; it is often most intense near the equator, where the upper atmosphere experiences greater gravity-wave activity and chemical recombination. Near-equatorial latitudes like Tarangire (~4° S) often produce beautifully structured bands of red (from oxygen at ~250 km) and green (from oxygen at ~95 km) that shimmer across the night sky — invisible to human eyes but captured vividly in long-exposure astrophotography.

What you see above the baobab, therefore, is not light pollution but the Earth itself glowing, whispering its quiet luminescence into the darkness.

A Meeting of Earth and Sky

This image is a meeting of contrasts: an ancient tree rooted in the soil of Africa, and a galaxy 100 000 light-years across suspended above it. Between them, a living, breathing layer of atmosphere paints the bridge — the airglow, the breath of our planet.

Under the Milky Way: A Night in Tarangire

Every color in the image tells a story:

• Amber and red: oxygen recombining high above the equator.
• Soft green: the pulse of Earth’s upper atmosphere.
• Silver stars: the spiral arm of the Milky Way.
• Dark silhouette: a 1 000-year-old baobab tree watching the cosmos turn.

In that moment, Tarangire was not just a national park — it was a reminder that the planet itself participates in the night sky.

Technical Notes

• Camera: Canon EOS Ra (modified for astrophotography)
• Lens: Canon EF 200 mm f/2.8L II USM
• Settings: f/3.2 · 15 s · ISO 25 600
• Panorama: 21 frames combined in Adobe Photoshop
• Date: September 26, 2025
• Location: Tarangire National Park, Tanzania (~4° S latitude)

Reflection

When I look at this photograph, I see time itself — the timeless patience of the baobab and the ceaseless motion of the stars. Both are survivors: one through endurance, the other through orbit.

Under that rainbow Milky Way, I realized that the Earth doesn’t just reflect the universe — it participates in it. The light that touched the baobab that night had traveled for tens of thousands of years, only to meet the glow of our own atmosphere.

Related Astrophotography Posts

• The Milky Way Over the Sailing Stone: A Night Under the Stars at Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, California
• Arches National Park Astrophotography
• Yellowstone Astrophotography
• Grand Teton National Park Nightscape Astrophotography Colter Bay Village Starry Sky Canon 60Da
• Milky Way over Galapagos Astrophotography

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) visible in NYC

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is making its grand journey through the inner solar system, inspiring astronomers, photographers, and stargazers around the world. As part of this collective fascination, I’m excited to share my photographs I captured of this remarkable celestial visitor against the vibrant cityscape of Brooklyn, NYC.

These photos are my small contribution to the ongoing global observation of this rare comet, offering a glimpse into how even from an urban environment, the wonders of space remain accessible to those with the patience to seek them.

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) visible from Brooklyn over the Verrazano Bridge and Staten Island after Sunset

Canon EOS Ra, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, f/3.8, ISO 1600, 2 sec. October 15, 2024.

In a stunning blend of cosmic beauty and urban life, Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) was captured over Brooklyn just after sunset. Although not visible to the naked eye due to the intense light pollution of New York City, the comet revealed itself through the preview on a Canon RA camera. 

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over Brooklyn, NYC.

Canon EOS Ra, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, f/3.2, ISO 400, 3 sec. October 15, 2024.

Nestled between Staten Island and a boat drifting across the water, the comet adds a subtle glow beneath the iconic Verrazano Bridge, demonstrating the magic that can still be found in the night sky, even amid the city’s overwhelming lights.

The next photo dives deeper into the beauty of Comet C/2023 A3, revealing details not visible in the wide-angle city shot. Captured with a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM telephoto lens, the image showcases the comet’s bright, glowing tail and even a faint anti-tail.

Comet C/2023 A3 – detailed close-up of the comet’s tail and anti-tail captured from New York.

Canon EOS 60Da, Canon EF200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens,  f/2.8, ISO 2500, 2 sec, stock 10 images, using iOptron SkyTracker, October 16, 2024.

The anti-tail is a fascinating feature that forms due to the unique alignment between the comet, the Sun, and Earth. While the main tail streams away from the Sun, the anti-tail appears to extend in the opposite direction. This is not because the comet has two tails going in different directions, but rather due to an optical illusion caused by our perspective. The anti-tail consists of dust particles along the comet’s orbit, which, under the right angle, seem to point sunward.

These images represent not just the beauty of the comet but also the joy of participating in a global observation effort. Whether observing from a dark, rural landscape or amidst the glowing lights of a bustling city, we all have the opportunity to look up and witness the universe unfolding before us.

Related Astrophotography Posts

• A Celestial Surprise: Capturing Comet SOHO-5008 During the Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024
• Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) Canon Ra Bethel, New York
• The comet NEOWISE reflecting in Wesserlauf Pond, Bethel, New York
• Comet 103P/Hartley 2 from New York City

The Milky Way Over the Sailing Stone: A Night Under the Stars at Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, California

Racetrack Playa is a place of natural intrigue. Situated in the heart of Death Valley, this dry, cracked lake bed is renowned for its "sailing stones" — large rocks that mysteriously move across the playa, leaving long tracks behind them. For decades, these stones puzzled scientists and visitors alike, as no one could quite figure out how these hefty rocks glided across the desert floor. It wasn’t until recently that a rare combination of ice, water, and wind was identified as the culprit behind their movement. 

The Milky Way Over the Sailing Stones of Death Valley, California

Panorama 27 photos, Canon EOS Ra, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens, f/2.8, ISO-25600, 20 seconds each photo.

When night falls at Racetrack Playa, another marvel unfolds overhead. With its location in one of the darkest national parks in the U.S., the sky above Death Valley becomes a portal to the universe. The absence of light pollution allows for one of the most pristine views of the Milky Way, an ocean of stars arching across the sky, giving photographers an ideal canvas for astrophotography.

One interesting detail in this panorama is the orientation of both the sky and the sailing stones. Near the horizon you can recognize the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) in a low position, while the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) is also visible, with Polaris (the North Star) marking the direction of true north.

At this low altitude, the familiar shape of the Big Dipper appears more flattened than usual. One of its stars, Phecda, is not clearly visible, but the remaining main stars are still recognizable, allowing the asterism to be identified.

Racetrack Playa is located at a latitude where the Big Dipper is circumpolar, meaning it can be seen throughout the entire year. As the night progresses, it slowly rotates around Polaris, changing its position while always remaining above the horizon.

The movement of the stones in the foreground adds another layer of interest. The main sailing stone in the center shows a trail roughly aligned with the north–south direction, appearing to move from the direction of Polaris toward the observer. However, a second stone on the right side of the frame reveals a different trajectory, with its path running almost perpendicular to the main stone’s trail.

This variation highlights the complex and delicate conditions behind the sailing stones phenomenon. Their motion depends on a rare combination of thin ice sheets, shallow water, and shifting wind, allowing different stones to move at different times and in different directions, creating a network of intersecting trails.

Together, the scene presents a striking contrast: the sky above follows predictable celestial motion around Polaris, while the desert floor records irregular and transient movement. It is a rare moment where celestial order and natural variability can be observed in a single frame.

A close-up panorama of a solitary sailing stone and its long trail beneath the Milky Way and the Dippers.

Standing in the silence of Racetrack Playa under the brilliant Milky Way, one feels both humbled and uplifted. The ancient stones, moved over time by forces unseen, seem like they are part of a larger cosmic ballet, just as the stars above trace their eternal paths through space. In that quiet desert night, there is a profound sense of stillness, yet the sky and stones speak of movement across millennia.

Related Astrophotography Posts

• Different types of the Milky Way Night Landscape - Stair Sail and Arch
• Acadia National Park, Maine USA - Astrophotography
• Milky Way Casting Shadows - Chile Astrophotography - San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations Star Tour
• Milky Way over Sunset Point of Bryce Canyon - Astrophotography
• Rainbow of the Milky Way and the Eternal Baobab — Tarangire, Tanzania

The Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024: An HDR Revelation of the Sun's Corona from Westport, New York

The creation of High Dynamic Range (HDR) images of the solar corona is a fascinating challenge, driven by the need to capture the vast dynamic range of brightness that defines these celestial phenomena. This endeavor marries the artistic with the scientific, uncovering details and structures of the corona that a single exposure could never reveal.

 

The Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024: An HDR Revelation of the Sun's Corona from Westport, New York

This particular HDR image of the solar corona was meticulously crafted from a series of exposures captured during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. My setup for totality included a Canon Ra camera, a Canon EF200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens paired with a Canon 2x III Extender for an effective focal length of 400mm, set at F/8, ISO 200. The camera was mounted on an iOptron SkyTracker, and I utilized a laptop with the SET'n'C (Solar Eclipse Timer and Controller) for precise camera control. The range of exposure times spanned from 1/1000 to 4 seconds, encompassing 1/1000, 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, and 4 seconds.

During the eclipse, I successfully captured four complete series of photos at these shutter speeds, all in CR3 format. I then processed these files in a Raw editor, adjusting texture, clarity, and denoise settings before saving them as 16-bit TIFF files.

In Photoshop, I centered the photo by loading the images into layers (File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack...) and utilized the “difference” blending mode for layers, manually centering each image using the arrow keys. An average shift calculation from image to image helped address the challenge of centering overexposed images, which could not be simply aligned based on the moon alone.

To create a mean image, I converted the selected layers into a Smart Object and applied the Mean stack mode (Layer > Smart Objects > Stack Mode > Mean), then flattened the image and saved it as mean.tif. For the moon to be at the center of the image, I cropped it accordingly.

I applied a Radial Blur in Photoshop (Filter > Blur > Radial Blur) with the settings: Spin as the Blur Method, Best for Quality, and an Amount of 10, ensuring the moon was centered in the image. This blurred image was saved as blur.tif.

To subtract the blurred image from the original, I used the Apply Image command (Image > Apply Image), setting the source to blur.tif, with the blending mode set to Subtract and an offset of 128. I then compressed the dynamic range using the Levels tool (Image > Adjustments > Levels) and saved the file as subtract.tif.

Clarity Unveiled: High Pass Filtering by Subtracting Radial Blur from the Original

To multiply the mean image with the subtracted image, I once again used the Apply Image command, setting the blending mode to Multiply. The final image was saved as done.tif.

Final touches were made using Topaz Denoise, the Raw Filter editor, and other Photoshop tools to enhance the image.

Totality HRD Image v.2

The final HDR composition is not merely a visual feast but a technical triumph that reveals the complexity and elegance of the sun's atmosphere. These images are invaluable, providing insights into solar physics and the forces that shape the corona. They also offer a breathtaking visual experience that conveys the awe-inspiring beauty of solar eclipses to a global audience. Through this HDR image, the profound beauty of a transient celestial moment is captured, enriching our appreciation and understanding of the cosmos's wonders and presenting the solar corona in a captivating new light.

Related Astrophotography Posts

• The Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024 during totality, seen from Westport, New York
• Total Solar Eclipse - April 8, 2024 | Westport, New York
• Tennessee Astrophotography - Great American Eclipse - Total Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017
• Solar Eclipse New York - 11/3/2013
• Annular Solar Eclipse - October 14, 2023 | Odessa, Texas

A Celestial Surprise: Capturing Comet SOHO-5008 During the Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024

On the memorable day of April 8, 2024, as the moon's shadow enveloped parts of the Earth in a brief midday twilight, a remarkable celestial event was captured by astronomers and photography enthusiasts alike. Among these observers was myself, fortunate enough to photograph a rare and fleeting moment during the total solar eclipse—a moment that would immortalize the doomed comet SOHO-5008.

Comet was not visible by naked eyes, but when I checked one of my HDR images with exposure 2 second, I found that doomed comet SOHO- 5008 is visible on the photo! 

Total Solar Eclipse April 8 2024 and doomed comet SOHO-5008

Canon Ra, Canon EF200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens + Canon 2x III Extender = 400mm, F/8, ISO 200, 4sec - Westport, New York.

Read articles on livescience or spaceweather about this comet.

The comet, named "SOHO-5008", was discovered earlier that day by the vigilant eyes of amateur astronomer Worachate Boonplod. He spotted it in the images captured by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) coronagraph, marking the beginning of an unexpected celestial narrative. News of the discovery spread quickly, and astronomer Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab highlighted the potential for ground-based observations during the eclipse. "Ground-based observations of sungrazing comets are extremely rare, so this would be a great opportunity to see an eclipse comet!" Battams had remarked, setting the stage for a once-in-a-lifetime observation.

The capture of comet SOHO-5008 during the solar eclipse is a poignant reminder of the ephemeral nature of our universe. Just as the eclipse brought darkness to the day, it also brought to light a comet on its final voyage. This celestial coincidence underscores the value of staying present and prepared—for in the world of astronomy, as in life, some of the most fascinating moments are those that are unplanned and fleeting.

Astronomical Image Annotation from Astrometry.net

Astrometry.net

The photograph of the disintegrating comet, set against the backdrop of the solar eclipse, will forever serve as a personal memento of a singular moment when the universe unveiled its wonders. It stands as a call to all who gaze upon it to look up and marvel at the vast, beautiful cosmos—a universe teeming with surprises, waiting to be discovered.

Related Astrophotography Posts

• The Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024 during totality, seen from Westport, New York
• Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) Canon Ra Bethel, New York
• Comet 103P/Hartley 2 from New York City
• Tennessee Astrophotography - Great American Eclipse - Total Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017
• Solar Eclipse New York - 11/3/2013