Eclipse Essentials from Drunk Neighbor

SOLARbration! Best Durn Eclipse Tips N Goodies!

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Eclipse Essentials showing Drunk Neighbor with a beer running off to a travel destination

We will be adding to this as soon as we are freakin done mowing. Be patient ffs. Then we might need a beerS.

Anyway, check back, but here is a little sumsum to get y’all started.

What is the Purkinje Effect?

🟢🔴 Did Y’all Know About the Purkinje Effect? 😳 ❤️ 💚

According to experts, to see the Purkinje Effect, eclipse watchers should wear red and green to embrace the full experience of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

The Purkinje (pronounced PURR-kin-yuh) Effect or Purkinje Shift is named after the Czech anatomist Jan Evangelista Purkyně. It is often mispronounced Purr-KENN-gee)

What is the Purkinje Effect

The Purkinje Effect is a change in the way our eyes perceive color during the transition from bright sunlight to darkness.

As those of us in military aviation are well aware of the importance of allowing our eyes to adapt from bright day to night time, because seeing at nighttime or in times of low light is considerably different than seeing during the day. In fact, all pilots and crew must be extra careful on the days that they have night flights to avoid “Bleaching out” their retinas. HENCE the reason pilots and crew are always wearing shades.

Info for Nerds:
“Bleaching” is a process that occurs when photoreceptors in the retina are exposed to bright light. The photopigment in the rods can be “bleached,” which causes the visual system to become desensitized. This desensitization recovers slowly as the pigment regenerates through a process called dark adaptation. After excessive bleaches, rod photoreceptors take about 30 min to recover.]

So on the day of the eclipse, don’t go around staring at the sun or not wearing shades of some sort! !!

Source: DrunkNeighbor

🎶 “Because We’re Pilots” 🎵

We have to know all about the anatomy of the eye, rods and cones, and the three different kinds of vision: (photopic, mesopic, and scotopic, or “Pho Mo Sco” as we like to call it) so that we can fly as safely as possible in all conditions.

Here is an example of how our eyes perceive the three types of vision (Pho Mo Sco) which occur during Day, Dusk/Dawn and Night.

Essential Eclipse Supplies

Well hell, pardner. It’s a little late for that by now but y’all might could still grab some goodies.

We made a whole list of Eclipse Essentials for SAFELY viewing and capturing the Eclipse (which we forgot to share with y’all). Check it out here. 👀 ☀️ 🕶️

We got the lense filter and we also got some cool solar eclipse glasses, and we even got some extries for frendz. We wanted the binocular thingies but felt like that was a splurge. We also really wanted the Celestron EclipSmart Safe Solar Eclipse Telescope but it was already bought up. (Just as well, we are too broke for that kinda high-falutin stuff. They do still have filters and other stuff).

Remember the Booze n Snacks! 🤩

Do’s and Don’ts During the Eclipse?

Eclipse Clothing

Y’all need to wear shirts that are red or green. We already said that. 😂 Need a red or green shirt? Go check out Drunk Neighbor’s BeerFUNd. Quite a few of these things come in bright red and bright green. We are gonna be wearing our Sláinte shirt because screw it! If you see someone in this shirt … It’s US. Pretty sure we’re the only ones who have it! haha! 😂

ProTip: For those hoping to get pictures of the eclipse, make extra sure to have all the Proper Protective Equipment and remember your sunscreen!

NEVER EVER Look Directly at the Sun!

Don’t be an ijit! Please avoid looking at the sun. This is why some sort of protective eclipse glasses are preferred. Even welding hoods may not provide the proper protection.

NEVER EVER Aim Your Phone or Camera Directly at the Sun!

Avoid aiming your camera or your phone’s unprotected camera directly at the sun. Doing so may permanently damage the Camera sensors, or cause the phone to overheat, or even catch on fire.

Oh no! What to do? Get a solar filter. Solar camera filters are available for all phone models, either as snap-on or velcro attachments or as filters that look like monocles one can place over the phone’s camera lens. (We found some that are listed in our Essential Eclipse Supplies List Essential Eclipse Supplies List!. 👀 ☀️ 🕶️

Note: Simply holding your eclipse glasses or welding hood over the lens is less optimal and not recommended. Regular sunglasses are definitely not enough protection for your eyes or your phone.

Photography? 📸 ☀️

Attempting to photograph a solar eclipse is tricky and potentially dangerous. During previous eclipses, NASA was very adamant in their PDF entitled “Smartphone Photography of the Eclipse” it made “no recommendations about how to safely photograph the partial eclipse phases because of the huge number of optical filter and camera models that may potentially be used and often with unsafe outcomes.”

ProTip: Practice ahead of time by taking some practice shots with your equipment to ensure a safe and awesome capture of the day’s memories.

How to Get The Best Eclipse Pictures with a Phone Camera?

Glad y’all asked! 😂 Again, practice ahead of time because we’re only gonna have a very few minutes (like maybe 4 max) to see the Eclipse!) So consider playing around with the settings prior to the big day!

How to adjust with your Android or iPhone phone settings for the Eclipse

  • Change the default photo settings to RAW mode
    • This allows users to save uncompressed photos resulting in more detail and a greater color range when editing in the future
      • iPhone: Settings> Camera and tap on Formats
        • Turn on Apple ProRAW. You’ll see a RAW option in the top right of your camera screen. Choose “on” when you want to use it, “off” when you don’t need it
      • Android: Samsung owners can use the built-in Expert RAW app (Check your phone model instructions)
  • iPhone: Turn off your  automatic macro switching to prevent focusing on your solar filter (note, only “PRO” versions have this option come to find out!) 😆
  • Understand how to employ Burst Mode,
    • This allows you to take a lot of photos quickly and increases the chances of getting a better shot
    • iPhones: Swipe left on the shutter button in the Camera app.
    • Android: Swipe down on the shutter button in the Camera app
    • Check the instructions for your particular model of phone
  • Turn off the flash, y’all
  • Lock your focus
    • Know how to enable this feature so the camera won’t attempt to focus on anything else
    • On most phones tap on the subject and hold your finger down until you get a padlock icon or an AE/AF lock
    • Then move your finger up and down to adjust the brightness
  • USE ZOOM Lens (don’t pinch to zoom!)
    • If your phone has a zoom lens use that
    • Using the digital zoom or using your fingers to pinch to zoom will result in fuzzier images
  • Get a tripod!
    • If y’all want really great photos, y’all gonna need to hold still
    • No tripod? Lean your phone at a right angle against something stable or prop your arms on your knees or brace them against your sides
  • May wanna use your timer too! This keeps the phone from wobbling and making blurry pix

ProTip: iPhone users can go completely hands-free or use a remote! Ask Siri with the “Say Cheese” shortcut (you’ll have to activate it ahead of time) or with your Apple watch if you have one.

How to enable “Say Cheese” shortcut on iPhone

  1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone
  2. Tap Gallery to explore all the available shortcuts (look along the bottom!)
  3. Search for the Say Cheese shortcut
  4. Tap on the Say Cheese shortcut
  5. Tap Add Shortcut to enable
  6. Did y’all know, you can personalize this shortcut, (i.e., changing the camera or altering the phrase), by tapping the three dots on the shortcut — Victory!
  7. Remember to practice by saying, “Hey Siri, say cheese” 

ProTip: Be realistic. If y’all have ever attempted to take a photo of the sky or the moon with a phone, then y’all already know it can be pretty tough to get a good photo without special equipment.

Look around for more interesting shots during the eclipse instead:

  • Wider photos of the landscape can be a unique way to capture the eclipse
  • Images of the eclipse reflected in water can be dramatic
  • Shoot the eclipse’s reflection off windows or other reflective surfaces.
  • Shoot through (or under) trees
  • Stand behind buildings, local landmarks, or statuary figures
  • Frame your photos behind people, or yourself

Remember! Capturing other images such as interesting landscape effects or crowds enjoying the eclipse is often more dramatic and fun than attempting to capture the actual eclipse.

Protip: Shoot lots of photos throughout the various eclipse stages, then piece them together during editing!

Remember to Actually Enjoy the Eclipse

Scoring perfect images of a rare occurrence can be difficult so remember to look up, look around, and take in this historic event. Because the next Total Solar Eclipse won’t be until 12 August 2045! 😳

Eclipse Social Media and Other Info Sources

NASA and NASA EDGE

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) lives for a good ol’ fashioned Solar Eclipse! Here is where you can follow them to stay up-to-date on all the good Eclipse info! 

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nasa/
https://www.instagram.com/NASAGoddard/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NASA/
https://www.facebook.com/nasaedgefan

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/NASASpaceSciEdu
https://twitter.com/NASASun
https://twitter.com/NASA_EDGE

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAexplorer
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF14609877EF3419B
https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAedge

Snapchat:
https://www.snapchat.com/add/nasa

What Else Do We Need to Know to Take FULL Advantage of the Solar Eclipse?

Observe Animal Behavior During an Eclipse

Many animals begin their bedtime routine which they would ordinarily do as nighttime falls. Birds might group together and chirp, cows might head to the barn, and bees might stop buzzing leading up to times of totality. During the brief time of totality, things may be quiet as animals perceive it is time to settle down.

Observe Temperature or Weather Changes

The temperature could possibly drop by 10º and the change in temp can also cause the air to stir, so some people may feel a slight breeze.

Experiment!

Find your kitchen colander and let holes act as multiple pinholes as the remaining sunlight shines down onto a piece of paper or blank surface! Same thing happens with straw hats or tree leaves. The shadows underneath trees can often look super cool!

A bucket of water (or pond or lake) is also a low-tech, but safe way to view a solar eclipse safely.

  1. Fill a bucket or bowl with water
  2. Position the bucket so you can see the reflection of the eclipse in the water.

ProTip: Remember to wear Red or Green to experiment with the Purkinje effect. 😉

⚠️ Again … NEVER LOOK directly at the sun during an eclipse without eye protection!

Check Out Eclipse Apps

There are a lot of fun apps out there, and many of them are free. Here are a few to experiment with.

Protip: Remember to set them up ahead of time!

The American Astronomical Society has compiled a list of useful apps for both iPHone and Android. Some that stood out to us are: (These are for iPhone unless specified otherwise, visit the AAS link above for Android Apps.

What Else?

Think we are mostly caught up. Did we forget anything?

Hangout with Drunk Neighbor?

Remember we have a virtual SOLARbration event set up where we will probably do something even if it’s wrong. 😂 It probably sounds better than it really is because let’s face it we never talk and also we’ll be busy using our phones for the eclipse. So it is mostly more of a gathering in name only. We are encouraging mofrackers to manage their expectations though because booze will be involved. 💯