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This eclipse has been referred to as a glorified partial eclipse, or a central partial eclipse. As compared the to multifarious events happening in a Total Solar Eclipse, nothing dramatic was going to happen in this eclipse. The Moon would pass in front of the Sun slowly and quietly not making much of a fuss. India has not seen an Annular since 1965, 45 years. Amateurs Astronomers across India thought of going to Rameshwaram, Kanya Kumari and Thiruvananthapuram to photograph the eclipse JFR. Filters safely on the instruments throughout the eclipse!

SS Beach resort Helipad, Papanasam Cliff, Varkala, Trivandrum District, Kerala, India We thought that precise location of the observation site could increase the excitement and make this mundane eclipse a more dramatic one.

Varkala, a 30 metre high cliff on the Arabian Sea Using Occult Software we simulated the bead formation from several places inside the northern limit of the Antumbral path. In fact someone observing from the northern edge or even 3 kms inside the northern edge would have ended up seeing a partial eclipse because of the presence of a high lunar mountain. It did help a lot that Occult software was updated with Kaguya satellite - lunar data just before the eclipse. We ended up selecting Varkala as our observing spot.

Some reasons of finalising Varkala were: A 30 metre high cliff next to the sea. Plenty of hotels, cheap to expensive. We could capture the time lapse over the sea horizon. Plenty of beads to be seen here, slow and steady. More than a minute of clear Annularity. Leisurely Chromosphere, not just a flash. Might photograph inner corona if the sky happens to be exceptionally clear. Any prominences on the same place where contacts are occurring....... !!

We also boldly thought that removing the filter was also an option: 1. If we use a very long focal length, thereby reducing the field of view. 2. If we have a large focal ratio to reduce the intensity of the sun so that no equipment burns. 3. If we use a DSLR camera with a mirror inside to send the light away from the camera shutter. 4. If we do not look through the view finder.

This dotted picture was made for a scattering Pinhole Eclipses on the screen below (see next photo)

Pinhole Eclipses The dotted picture stuck on the plywood shows the coastline of India, Sri Lanka and the path of the Annular Eclipse. Pinholed were drilled in every alternate dot (2mm) with a screen behind. Nikon D70 placed just below the screen and automated to click every minute. The final video made is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H561aLraLw

Pinhole Eclipses The dotted picture stuck on the plywood shows the coastline of India, Sri Lanka and the path of the Annular Eclipse. Pinholed were drilled in every alternate dot (2mm) with a screen behind. Nikon D70 placed just below the screen and automated to click every minute. This photo was taken just after Annular phase got over. The final video made is here (watch in HD) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H561aLraLw

Eclipses scattered on the floor and shadows, which are unusually sharpened.

Another unusual hand shadow

Crescents scattered all over

Look carefully, those are not croissants but solar doughnuts filled with moon, scattered all over.

ASE in 1 Frame. Two DSLR cameras were automated for capturing a time lapse sequence. One at 18mm focal length in portrait frame to capture the eclipse as well as the sea horizon. The second camera working at 35mm focal length in landscape frame just to get better resolution on the Sun images for blending.

ASE over the Arabian Sea. Two DSLR cameras were automated for capturing a time lapse sequence. One at 18mm focal length in portrait frame to capture the eclipse as well as the sea horizon. The second camera working at 35mm focal length in landscape frame just get better resolution on the Sun images. The background photo is actually of one day before the eclipse.

300mm on a GEM Our next camera (in ascending order of focal length) was Canon 350 with a 300mm zoom, automated (with laptop and Images Plus software) to take 3 bracketed photographs every minute and continuous bracketing shots near the central phase. Filter was not removed from this camera.

300mm on a GEM A montage of central eclipse images from the Canon 350D with a 300mm lens. The camera was mounted on an Atlas German Equatorial Mount and following the Sun with little interference.

400mm on a GEM Our next camera (in ascending order of focal length) was Nikon D90 with a 400mm zoom, on an equatorial mount. The camera was automated (with laptop and Images Plus software) to take 3 bracketed photographs every minute and continuous bracketing shots near the central phase. Filter WAS removed from this camera for a brief period during annularity. Here is the video made from this cameras' images http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWnOQ6NSjZ4

400mm on a GEM An unfiltered image from Nikon D90 with a 400mm zoom, on an equatorial mount. Filter WAS removed from this camera for a brief period during annularity. Here is the video made from this cameras' images http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWnOQ6NSjZ4

Timed Video with ToUcam and 400mm focal length telescope. Skywatcher 80mm f/5 telescope was attached with a Toucam Webcamera and connected to a laptop. The telescope is piggybacked underneath the 8" Meade LX200. The webcamera recorded video of the progress of the entire eclispe. The video also captured the Baily's Beads nicely. The important feature of the video is the audio alongwith giving out accurate time beeps from the Beeper Box. Skywatcher telescope was aligned with the main telescope. The video display also served the purpose of pointing the main telescope towards the area where the bead formation was occurring. See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ypE_CmoHbk

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!! Unfiltered imaging in an Annular Eclipse !! This was the instrument train used to capture Baily's Beads and Corona without a filter. 1. Meade 8" SCT, f/10, f.l. 2000mm, Altazimuth mount precisely aligned with Zenith 2. Diagonal Mirror 2" dia 3. 2X Televue Powermate 2" dia, f/20, f.l. 4000mm 4. Canon 450D fov = 19" X 13", approx 2/3 of Sun on the larger side 5. DSLR connected to laptop running Eclipse Orchestrator 6. Pointing to the correct part of the sun made possible with a webcamera attached to 400mm telescope piggybacked on the same telescope, aligned perfectly with the main telescope. See subsequent images showing Chromosphere and Baily' Beads

Imaging Setup at Varkala overlooking the Arabian Sea Annular Solar Eclipse 15 January 2010 From left 1. Skywatcher 80mm f/5 with ToUcam (filtered) 2. 200mm f/10, 2x Powermate with Canon 450D (unfiltered during imaging) 3. Skywatcher 102mm f/5 with Canon 500D (filtered) 4. 8x50 finder (filtered)

Focal Length 4000mm Unfiltered Annular Eclipse Image 1 of 11 Chromosphere just before 2nd contact Video made out of 125 such images is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVBJrPm0Bw

Focal Length 4000mm Unfiltered Annular Eclipse Image 2 of 11 Chromosphere, beads start to form Video made out of 125 such images is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVBJrPm0Bw

Focal Length 4000mm Unfiltered Annular Eclipse Image 3 of 11 Chromosphere, beads multiply on both sides Video made out of 125 such images is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVBJrPm0Bw

Focal Length 4000mm Unfiltered Annular Eclipse Image 4 of 11 Baily's Beads on right side merge into the advancing cusp Video made out of 125 such images is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVBJrPm0Bw

Focal Length 4000mm Unfiltered Annular Eclipse Image 5 of 11 Hints of many Baily's Beads to come Video made out of 125 such images is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVBJrPm0Bw