As a photographer, I have witnessed few events as thrilling and monumental as a total solar eclipse. On April 8, 2024, I had the opportunity to experience and photograph this remarkable celestial phenomenon where the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the Sun and casting a shadow over the Earth. This event was not just a test of my photographic skills but also an incredible personal experience.

Understanding Solar Eclipses

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes in between the Earth and the Sun, obscuring the Sun from our view. Solar eclipses can be partial or total depending on the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

The shadow cast by the Moon has two parts: the penumbra, where the Sun is partially obscured, and the umbra, where the Sun is completely hidden. Observers in the path of the umbra experience the full glory of a total solar eclipse, also known as totality. At any given location on Earth, this alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth is a rare occurrence because the orbits of the three bodies are not perfectly aligned.

The closer to the center of the line of totality, the longer one experiences totality. Being outside the path of totality means that one sees only a partial eclipse. The further away from the path of totality, the less the sun will be obscured at that location.

The 2024 total solar eclipse's path crossed North America, from Mexico through the United States and into Canada. The longest duration of totality along the center of the path of totality was calculated to be about 4 minutes and 28 seconds. A number of major cities within this path experienced totality, where daylight faded into a surreal twilight. It was estimated that about 43 million people lived directly along the path of totality, with hundreds of millions more in the areas with partial coverage.

Chasing the Eclipse

I started preparing and planning to capture the eclipse in January 2024, more than three months before the event. I was excited that the path of totality would pass very close to where I lived, and I was determined to travel to a location within the path from where I could experience at least a few minutes of totality. Observing a solar eclipse from even a few hundred meters outside the path of totality means one does not experience any totality.

A total solar eclipse is a singularly unique event, and it is best experienced in the company of other people. So, I began to sow the seeds of excitement among my family and close friends, getting them curious about something that would happen months later. I explained how we’d need to be prepared with multiple alternate locations to drive to, the various phenomena to look out for during the eclipse, and how much of a once-in-a-lifetime this would be for the vast majority of the population. After weeks of incessant badgering, my family was finally game to do what it took to experience the eclipse, and I even got some close friends to sign on.

April 8th finally arrived. Despite meticulous planning, the unpredictable nature of the clouds in Southern Ontario in April meant adapting on the fly. Originally planning to set up an hour away from home in James N. Allan Provincial Park, the forecasted cloud cover prompted a last-minute change. On the morning of the eclipse, we embarked on a three-hour drive further west than planned, chasing clearer skies. Continuously checking the cloud cover forecast across multiple weather models and coordinating with friends in various locations led us to a field outside the town of Port Burwell, ON, with a mere 20 minutes to spare before the eclipse would begin. The journey, though stressful, heightened the sense of adventure and anticipation.

Gearing Up: Equipment and Settings

For this eclipse, I decided to use multiple cameras to capture various views of the eclipse.

My main imaging rig was a Canon 80D crop sensor camera with a 400mm telephoto lens, which effectively provided a focal length of 640mm. I had a Celestron EclipSmart solar filter on the lens to protect the camera during the partial phases. My camera settings were ISO 400 with an aperture of f/8 throughout the entire eclipse, balancing the need for detail and exposure. I adjusted the shutter duration manually, using a combination of pre-calculated duration times and compensating in the field as the eclipse progressed. I mounted the camera on a star tracker, a useful tool that compensates for the Earth's rotation by moving the camera at the same rate as the celestial objects. This was helpful in maintaining sharp focus and consistent framing as the Sun and Moon moved through the sky.

I also set up a Canon 6DMarkII on a static tripod with a 24mm wide-angle lens, and I pointed it at the scene to include some of the foreground as well as the Sun in the frame. My goal with this camera was to capture a timelapse of the transition from partial eclipse to totality and back again. Unfortunately, in all the excitement as totality approached, I forgot to take the lens cap off! In hindsight, this is not surprising — the atmosphere around you as totality approaches is charged with excitement and trepidation. If it’s your first time shooting a total solar eclipse, something is bound to go wrong.

Finally, to capture the entire experience to share with friends and family, my wife and I set up a mobile phone camera with a wide field of view in vertical orientation on a tripod to record a video. Thankfully, I did not forget to hit record on this camera.

The Disappearing Sun

The eclipse journey begins with the partial phase, where the Moon gradually covers the Sun. Initially, only a small bite appears to be taken out of the Sun. This progresses to larger and larger coverage until only a slim crescent of the Sun remains. During this phase, it's crucial to use solar filters on both cameras and eyes to prevent camera and eye damage. These solar filters block the intense solar rays, making it safe to view and photograph the gradually disappearing Sun.

During the partial phases, interesting phenomena occur, such as the formation of crescent suns under tree leaves, where tiny gaps between leaves create a pinhole camera effect. As totality approaches, the landscape falls into an eerie twilight, and temperatures drop. During the eclipse, my daughter took temperature readings every 5 minutes. From the start of the eclipse to the moment of totality, we measured a 20ºF drop in temperature!

During the eclipse a number of sunspots were visible on the solar surface as well.

Sunspots are temporary, dark areas that appear on the surface of the Sun. They are caused by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits the normal flow of heat from the Sun's interior to its surface. As a result, sunspots are cooler than their surrounding areas and appear darker. These regions of intense magnetic activity often occur in pairs or groups and can vary in size from small, speck-like spots to large, complex clusters. Sunspots typically have a darker central region called the umbra, surrounded by a lighter region called the penumbra.

Observing and tracking sunspots is important for understanding solar activity and its effects on space weather, including phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

The Magic of Totality

Then, in a fleeting moment of celestial alignment, totality envelopes the landscape in a cloak of darkness. It is profoundly moving and visually spectacular. And it starts suddenly.

The diamond ring, a fleeting glimmer of light visible as the Sun’s last rays gleam around the Moon's edges, heralds the onset of totality.

Following this, Bailey's beads appear, caused by sunlight streaming through the uneven surface of the Moon due to lunar peaks and valleys.

Next, as the Moon fully obscures the Sun, the Sun’s corona, a white halo made of hot gases, becomes visible. It is ethereal and beautifully structured, stretching out into space.

During totality itself, you can remove solar filters from the camera lens and you can even view the eclipsed sun with the naked eye.

Solar prominences — immense, arching structures of hot, glowing gas that erupt from the surface of the Sun's chromosphere and extend into the Sun's outer atmosphere — can be seen on the edges of the lunar silhouette. Capturing these phenomena requires quick adjustments to camera settings as the lighting conditions change drastically from the partial phases.

Solar prominences are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, along with trace amounts of other elements. They can vary in size from relatively small, looping structures to massive eruptions that extend many times the diameter of the Earth. Prominences are often associated with regions of intense magnetic activity on the Sun, such as sunspots or active regions. The Sun's magnetic field plays a crucial role in shaping these structures, as it can trap and contain the hot gases within magnetic loops. When viewed against the dark backdrop of space during a solar eclipse, solar prominences appear as fiery tendrils or loops extending from the Sun's surface, creating a stunning visual display.

Experiencing totality is surreal; it transcends mere visual perception. It touches something deep in the psyche, a primal reaction to the Sun vanishing in the middle of the day, sunset colours vividly visible all around the horizon, and the sudden appearance of stars. The shock of seeing a black hole in the sky surrounded by flaming tendrils where the sun should be is both jarring and jaw-dropping.

The Return of Light

Totality ends as quickly as it begins, lasting 2 minutes and 58 seconds at my location. The second diamond ring appears, signaling the return of sunlight and the need to replace solar filters. The reverse progression of the Moon uncovering the Sun brings us back to the partial phases and gradually to full daylight.

Reflecting on the Experience

Photographing a total solar eclipse involves understanding celestial mechanics, being equipped with the right tools, and, most importantly, remembering to experience the awe of the cosmic dance of the Sun and Moon with those around you. As totality swept across the land, I alternated between unbridled exuberance and silent reverence, at once stoked by the incredible visual spectacle and humbled by the majesty of the cosmos. In those fleeting moments, the universe seemed to hold its breath, and time itself seemed to stand still as the boundaries between Earth and sky dissolved into nothingness. It was a reminder of our place in the universe, of cosmic connection that transcended language and culture.

In the aftermath of the eclipse, as daylight returned rapidly and the world stirred from its celestial reverie, I couldn't help but feel a profound sense of gratitude. In that brief encounter with totality, I had witnessed something rare, a memory etched forever in the depths of my soul. Every single person who was on that field with me echoed similar thoughts. Some even had tears in their eyes as they were overwhelmed by the magnificence of totality.

It’s true what they say — as soon as you finish viewing your first eclipse, you immediately remark, “That was awesome! When’s the next one?!”.