Observing Log for Mike Durkin
4/8/2024 about 2:00-4:30PM
Amherst, NY
Transparency: 1/10, Seeing ??/5
Temperature: about 50-60 degrees
Equipment: Hutech modified Canon T3i
Yeah, eclipse day, but boooo, basically totally overcast.
I spent the afternoon at my distant cousin, who I discovered through genealogy, and finally got to meet
after several years of exchanging e-mails. The weather forcast was not very promising showing a band
of clouds over much of western New York. I set up in the driveway of my cousin's house with my camera
and the I had the filters to use with the camera.
Basically I spent the whole time waiting for the clouds to be just thin enough that the sun would
be visible through the clouds. Most of the time, the clouds were thick enough that we didn't really
need filters. I took some scattered images, and occasionally had to put on the camera filter. When
totality finally arrived, the clouds were still thick and I assumed we were going to be out of luck.
One rather dramatic effect was how dark it got. It seemed like it was about 2-3 hours after sunset.
Although I did not notice a significant temerature change, maybe because of the clouds or I just
wasn't paying enough attention. However about mid way through, there was a brief thinning and we
were able to make out the corona. I scrambled to take some shots with my camera, but I was only able
to get one that I feel was mediocre. As totality ended I could make out a brightening of the sky/clouds
to the West or Northwest. And then again, just occasionally catching the sun through tin patches of
a mostly overcast sky.
So overall, not as good as I had hoped, but I knew Buffalo was not considered an ideal spot based on
overall weather patterns. However is was still somewhat successful and we got to share the event
with my cousin, her husband, and one of their neighbors, which was nice.
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4/7/2024 about 2:00-4:30PM
Amherst, NY
Transparency: 9/10, Seeing ??/5
Temperature: about 60 degrees
Equipment: Coronado PST
With the weather forcast for tomorrow looking pretty bad, and today being very clear, I wanted to
do something astronomy related on this trip, which is why I brought my PST. I set up in the parking
lot of the hotel. I had some nice visual images of the sun, including what looked like a well
defined sunspot region, some plagues, and some prominences. I used my cellphone to take some
images. I had to use my black hoodie to cover my head and block out some light.
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