Total Lunar Eclipse December 21, 2010 Winter Solstice

Total Lunar Eclipse December 21, 2010
New York, NY Celestron 4SE telescope. All exposures were taken with Canon 40D. Backyard astronomy and digital astrophotography. Weather in New Your during the eclipse time was fantastic, but a little bit cold.

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron NexStar 4SE Canon 40D

The eclipse of December 21 2010 Tuesday morning was the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Northern Winter Solstice - the shortest day and longest night of the year (Southern Summer Solstice) since 1638 (first time in 372 years), and only the second in the Common Era. That will not happen again until 2094.

The eclipse was the first total lunar eclipse in almost three years, since the February 2008 total lunar eclipse. It is the second of two lunar eclipses in 2010.

NYC Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Total Lunar Eclipse Celestron 4SE Canon_40D Brooklyn Astronomy

Partial eclipse begins 1:33am EST
Total eclipse begins 2:41am EST
Middle of eclipse 3:17am EST
Total eclipse ends 3:53am EST
Partial eclipse ends 5:01am EST

Celestron NexStar 4SE Canon 40D Live View Sun astrophotography

This video demonstrates how Live View on the Canon EOS 40D can be used for basic solar astrophotography when connected to the Celestron NexStar 4SE telescope. It was recorded on October 2, 2010 in Brooklyn, New York.

The main goal of this experiment was to show how Live View helps with focusing, framing, and exposure control when photographing the Sun. At the time, Live View was still relatively new on DSLR cameras, and this setup made solar imaging much easier than using only the optical viewfinder.

IMPORTANT: The Sun was photographed only with a proper full-aperture solar filter. Never point a telescope or camera at the Sun without a certified solar filter. Permanent eye and equipment damage can occur instantly.

The video includes images and footage from the following assembly series, showing different ways to connect a Canon EOS camera to the Celestron NexStar 4SE. The links below lead to the original photo posts for reference.

• Part 1 – Components Only
• Part 2 – First Assembled Configuration (Rear Port, T-Adapter-C90)
• Part 3 – Second Assembled Configuration (Top Port, Barlow T-Adapter)
• Part 4 – Third Assembled Configuration (Rear Port, Erect Image Diagonal + Barlow)

After the mechanical setup, the video shows the Canon Live View feed on a computer using Canon’s software, allowing real-time monitoring of what the camera sensor sees. This makes it much easier to achieve accurate focus and capture surface detail.

Celestron Solar Filter for NexStar 4 SE and Celestron 4SE, Brooklyn NYC Astronomy

The image above shows the solar filter mounted on the NexStar 4SE. This is the most critical component for solar imaging and must always be installed before pointing the telescope toward the Sun.

Astrophotography NYC - Celestron 4SE and Canon 40D

This photo shows the full imaging setup with the Canon 40D attached to the NexStar 4SE. Live View allows precise focusing without touching the telescope, minimizing vibration.

Sunspot - Solar Activity - Celestron 4SE -Brooklyn Astrophotography

The final image shows a close-up of the Sun with sunspot group 1109. Only a portion of the solar disk is visible — this framing was intentional to better reveal sunspot structure and surrounding bright regions.