Adventures & Friends

Probably the best reason for playing around with this equipment is the friends found under the skies. Here are the beginnings of a rogue’s gallery

2005 - with Alex in Maui, observing

2005 - with Alex in Maui, observing

2007 - RTMC, southern California

2007 - RTMC, southern California

2007 - Gary at Shuttle Atlantis launch, Florida

2007 - Gary at Shuttle Atlantis launch, Florida

2007 - Shuttle Atlantis launch

2007 - Shuttle Atlantis launch

2007 - Shuttle Atlantis launch

2007 - Shuttle Atlantis launch

2007 - AIC, San Jose

2007 - AIC, San Jose

2008 - Astronomy Camp, Arizona, stargazing

2008 - Astronomy Camp, Arizona, stargazing

2008 - Astronomy Camp, Arizona

2008 - Astronomy Camp, Arizona

2012 - Keck telescopes, Hawaii

2012 - Keck telescopes, Hawaii

2012 - with Alex & Stephen at Keck

2012 - with Alex & Stephen at Keck

2011 - Bay School students at Tuolumne Skies Observatory

2011 - Bay School students at Tuolumne Skies Observatory

Probably the second best reason for playing around with astronomy is that it is a great excuse for visiting interesting places.  As one of the friends whom we met on our first eclipse trip said when asked why he went to see so many, “It is a great vacation algorithm.”

TSE 2005, in the South Pacific

TSE 2005, in the South Pacific

TSE 2005 eclipse path; totality observed from 23 deg 27' S/130 deg 24' W

TSE 2005 eclipse path; totality observed from 23 deg 27' S/130 deg 24' W

TSE 2005-path across the south Pacific

TSE 2005-path across the south Pacific

TSE 2005-path at totality near Pitcairn Island

TSE 2005-path at totality near Pitcairn Island

TSE 2005-aboard the Paul Gauguin

TSE 2005-aboard the Paul Gauguin

TSE 2005-ready for totality

TSE 2005-ready for totality

TSE 2005-totality for 28 seconds

TSE 2005-totality for 28 seconds

TSE 2005-Blake, Gary, Cynthia on board the Paul Gauguin

TSE 2005-Blake, Gary, Cynthia on board the Paul Gauguin

TSE 2006-Eclipse trip to Turkey

TSE 2006-Eclipse trip to Turkey

TSE 2006-Observed at 31 deg 23' E/36 deg 46' N at Side, Turkey

TSE 2006-Observed at 31 deg 23' E/36 deg 46' N at Side, Turkey

Path of TSE 2006 across Africa and Asia Minor, into Asia

Path of TSE 2006 across Africa and Asia Minor, into Asia

TSE 2006-path of totality, March 2006

TSE 2006-path of totality, March 2006

TSE 2006-Side, Turkey path of totality

TSE 2006-Side, Turkey path of totality

Our hotel in Side, above the Mediterranean

Our hotel in Side, above the Mediterranean

Friends & equipment, on the helipad

Friends & equipment, on the helipad

Blake, awaiting his first eclipse

Blake, awaiting his first eclipse

Maenwhile, friends at the Exploratorium at an ancient Greek amphitheatre a few miles away

Maenwhile, friends at the Exploratorium at an ancient Greek amphitheatre a few miles away

Getting close to totality

Getting close to totality

Totality is almost upon us

Totality is almost upon us

First diamond ring

First diamond ring

Totality. Fabulous! Taken with a Canon EOS 20Da, Kenko Sky Memo tracker, Manfrotto tripod; DSLR Focu

Totality. Fabulous! Taken with a Canon EOS 20Da, Kenko Sky Memo tracker, Manfrotto tripod; DSLR Focu

Totality: 3 minutes, 50 seconds at 10:53:54 UT, March 29, 2006

Totality: 3 minutes, 50 seconds at 10:53:54 UT, March 29, 2006

A nice composite, before and after totality

A nice composite, before and after totality

TSE 2008, western Mongolia, August 1, 2008

TSE 2008, western Mongolia, August 1, 2008

Eclipse Path of Totality: Observed at 88 deg 25' E/48 deg 36' N at Hoton Lake, Mongolia

Eclipse Path of Totality: Observed at 88 deg 25' E/48 deg 36' N at Hoton Lake, Mongolia

Path of TSE 2008

Path of TSE 2008

From Ulaan Baatar, to a dirt airstrip at Ulgi, Bayan-Ulgi, then 8 hours drive

From Ulaan Baatar, to a dirt airstrip at Ulgi, Bayan-Ulgi, then 8 hours drive

Eclipse site: Hoton Lake, 6,700' elevation in the Altai Mountains

Eclipse site: Hoton Lake, 6,700' elevation in the Altai Mountains

Kazakh herders

Kazakh herders

Kazakh herders and pastoralists

Kazakh herders and pastoralists

With Alex Filippenko, UC Berkeley astrophysicist

With Alex Filippenko, UC Berkeley astrophysicist

At eclipse viewing base camp

At eclipse viewing base camp

Blake, playing with partial shadows

Blake, playing with partial shadows

Brooke, with partially eclipsed shadows

Brooke, with partially eclipsed shadows

More shadow play

More shadow play

Partial eclipse; equipment: Canon EOS 20Da, Canon ET-83C 100-400 zoom lens

Partial eclipse; equipment: Canon EOS 20Da, Canon ET-83C 100-400 zoom lens

First diamond ring

First diamond ring

Diamond ring

Diamond ring

Diamond ring

Diamond ring

Totality: 2 minutes, 8 seconds at 10:57:46 UT at Hoton Lake, Mongolia

Totality: 2 minutes, 8 seconds at 10:57:46 UT at Hoton Lake, Mongolia

TSE 2009: observed from NE of Cook Islands, east of Pukapuka.

TSE 2009: observed from NE of Cook Islands, east of Pukapuka.

Eclipse Path of Totality: Observed at 164 deg 44' W/9 deg 54' S

Eclipse Path of Totality: Observed at 164 deg 44' W/9 deg 54' S

Eclipse path

Eclipse path

On board the Paul Gauguin, ready for totality

On board the Paul Gauguin, ready for totality

Blake, playing with partial eclipse shadows

Blake, playing with partial eclipse shadows

Totality: Observed for 3 minutes, 24 seconds

Totality: Observed for 3 minutes, 24 seconds

Another successful eclipse, seen as the clouds parted

Another successful eclipse, seen as the clouds parted

January, 2012 trip to Fairbanks, Alaska to watch the aurora borealis

January, 2012 trip to Fairbanks, Alaska to watch the aurora borealis

Suiting up for the -55 degree temps, with Alex & Noelle Filippenko

Suiting up for the -55 degree temps, with Alex & Noelle Filippenko

Our CATs in the frigid cold

Our CATs in the frigid cold

Aurora borealis overhead

Aurora borealis overhead

TSE 2012: Australia & Papua New Guinea

TSE 2012: Australia & Papua New Guinea

Eclipse path; totality observed from 145 deg 36' W/16 deg 38' S

Eclipse path; totality observed from 145 deg 36' W/16 deg 38' S

Our trip: from Rabaul, Papua New Guinea to the Sepik River, Tami and Trobriand Island

Our trip: from Rabaul, Papua New Guinea to the Sepik River, Tami and Trobriand Island

Expedition ship, Orion, near the Sepik River

Expedition ship, Orion, near the Sepik River

Watam village, near Sepik River

Watam village, near Sepik River

Tami Island 'singsing' dancers

Tami Island 'singsing' dancers

Tufi Island dancers

Tufi Island dancers

Tobriand Islands

Tobriand Islands

Awaiting early-morning eclipse, off shore from Cairns

Awaiting early-morning eclipse, off shore from Cairns

With meteorologist Jay Anderson

With meteorologist Jay Anderson

Totality: 2 minutes, 5 seconds; C2: 6:38:12 am, C3: 6:40:17 am; sun altitude 14 degrees

Totality: 2 minutes, 5 seconds; C2: 6:38:12 am, C3: 6:40:17 am; sun altitude 14 degrees

TSE 2013-West Coast of Africa and Cape Verde Islands

TSE 2013-West Coast of Africa and Cape Verde Islands

Eclipse on November 3, 2013

Eclipse on November 3, 2013

Observed at 24 deg 41' W/ 10 deg 10' N

Observed at 24 deg 41' W/ 10 deg 10' N

This is a hybrid eclipse, with totality from our viewing location

This is a hybrid eclipse, with totality from our viewing location

Visiting the Cape Verde Islands

Visiting the Cape Verde Islands

This eclipse trip taken with Wilderness Travel

This eclipse trip taken with Wilderness Travel

With Alex & Noelle Filippenko

With Alex & Noelle Filippenko

Eclipse nails

Eclipse nails

Eclipse chewing gum of course

Eclipse chewing gum of course

With Landon Noll

With Landon Noll

On board ship awaiting totality

On board ship awaiting totality

Cynthia awaiting totality

Cynthia awaiting totality

First diamond ring

First diamond ring

Totality: 1 minute, 20 seconds of totality

Totality: 1 minute, 20 seconds of totality

TSE 2016 in Borneo

TSE 2016 in Borneo

Eclipse Path of Totality

Eclipse Path of Totality

We traveled with TravelQuest, on board the ship Le Soleal

We traveled with TravelQuest, on board the ship Le Soleal

The ship itinerary, leading up to the eclipse

The ship itinerary, leading up to the eclipse

Visiting the true spice islands; with Run in the distance

Visiting the true spice islands; with Run in the distance

On board Le Soleal on eclipse day

On board Le Soleal on eclipse day

With Aram Kaprielian and friends celebrating another successful eclipse

With Aram Kaprielian and friends celebrating another successful eclipse

TSE 2017: back in the USA!

TSE 2017: back in the USA!

Eclipse Path of Totality; we watched the eclipse from NE of Bend, Oregon.

Eclipse Path of Totality; we watched the eclipse from NE of Bend, Oregon.

It is some time until another total eclipse in the US; so hopefully you did not miss it.

It is some time until another total eclipse in the US; so hopefully you did not miss it.

Viewing site, at Smith Rock

Viewing site, at Smith Rock

Next eclipse on the horizon!

Next eclipse on the horizon!

TSE 2019 will cross the Pacific, and finish in Chile before sunset.

TSE 2019 will cross the Pacific, and finish in Chile before sunset.

We are tentatively planning to watch it with TravelQuest, near La Serena.

We are tentatively planning to watch it with TravelQuest, near La Serena.

We plan to drive east (west side of the Andes), to observe the eclipse in the Elqui Valley.

We plan to drive east (west side of the Andes), to observe the eclipse in the Elqui Valley.