The purely technical side of my learning process in preparation for the total solar eclipse.
Category: Astrophotography
How much gear do you actually need for your first total solar eclipse when you don’t yet know how to photograph one?
A week-long father-son road trip from Koblenz to northern Spain to photograph the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. From the search for the right spot to three independent local contacts and a nerve-wracking final hour before totality – the first part of a blog series about planning, detours, and the moment itself.
Recently, in addition to the ToupTek62AM, I also purchased a ToupTek24AC camera.
A Step-by-Step Guide – Using the ToupTek SkyEye 62AM and SkyEye 24AC as Examples
Last week, I finally hit the “buy” button. After extensive research, I chose the Harmonic Drive mount WD-20P from WarpAstron.
It was time for a permanent adaptation of an astrocomputer to my Vixen VC200L.
I chose the ToupTek StellaVita.
More contrast under suburban skies — my real-world experience with the Baader UHC-L Booster Filter (50.4 mm).
Three projects, challenging conditions, and an honest technical conclusion from my backyard in Koblenz.
I’m increasingly considering capturing RGB data with a one-shot color camera instead of continuing with mono and separate filters. While mono remains efficient, the RGB workflow is time-consuming, and early tests with two cameras have shown that it can significantly reduce routine overhead. As a result, my focus has shifted less toward pure image quality and more toward handling and workflow efficiency.
Perfect detailed planning of the deep-sky object and the framing using Stellarium HiPS full-sky surveys!