Fine Art Astrophotography by Scott Johnson

This composite, made from the 4-8-2024 solar eclipse, consists of 16 separate images made though an Astro-Physics Stowaway telescope. The images were taken approximately 2 seconds apart at 1/2000th second shutter speed. Bits of light from overlapping images create dark and shadow areas reminiscent of columns, diamonds, and arcs derived from the sun-moon interplay. Visible stages of the eclipse consist of the diamond rings, Baileys beads, prominences, and the chromosphere. I had been planning to make a composite similar to this for 7 years but the geometric center was a happy discovery on the way to the final image, so I decided to share it as a stand alone, one of a kind creation.

This a composite of 12 images ranging from 1/ 1,000th sec to 2 seconds. Imaged from my observatory near Bloomington In with a TEC 110 refractor. The imaging session was automated with the help of Solar Eclipse Maestro software while Kris and I hand fired the shutters on 2 other telescope rigs simultaneously.

This 35 image composite of the continuum from the diamond ring, to Bailey’s beads, prominences, and the chromosphere displays images spaced 1 second apart. The center was extracted from a corona image photographed mid-eclipse. Photographed at my observatory using an Astro-Physics 155 f/7 refractor 4-8-2024.

Beads of light from the sun are shining between the peaks and valleys of the moon just before totality. .Photographed with an Astro-Physics 155 f/7 refractor.

This is a composite of 2 images from the 2024 solar eclipse photographed from my observatory near Bloomington, In. The prominences were spectacular. Photographed with an Astro-Physics 155 f/7 refractor.

Beads of light from the sun are shining between the peaks and valleys of the moon just before totality ends. Photographed with an Astro-Physics 155 f/7 refractor.

This composite contains shots of the first and second diamond rings along with the 12 image corona composite that was made previously. All photographed at my home observatory near Bloomington, In with a TEC 110 refractor.