August 21, 2017 – Great American Eclipse

I chose to view the Great American Eclipse of 2017 from the Hamlin, KS cemetery. I was joined by my cousin Vandi and her husband Dewey. Vandi and I both have parents buried in the cemetery, as well as a couple of older generations. The weather was not great, and we had to retreat to our vehicles during a couple of showers. We were lucky enough to get some breaks in the clouds which allowed us to view the eclipse as it progressed. In the following images, those with a reddish tinge were taken through a solar filter. Blue tinged sun images were taken without a filter, using the clouds as a natural filter.

11:43 am, first look

11:48 am

11:49 am, the clouds thicken, a light shower passed by

12:31 pm, the clouds break a little

1246 pm, the clouds provide a natural filter

12:59 pm, totality approaches

13:03pm One minute apart, the difference as totality occurred is impressive

1:05 pm, Vandi videoing the totality, rain showers in the distance

Video by Vandi, taken during totality.

1:06 pm, looking to the north. During totality the horizon looks like a sunset. By 1:07 pm, daylight had returned.

1:09 pm, our first look post totality

1:11 pm, the clouds still act as a filter

1:42 pm, back to the solar filter

1:46 pm

1:53 pm

2:01 pm

2:08 pm

2:18 pm

2:22 pm

2:27 pm

2:29 pm

2:32 pm, the sun is whole again

Despite the persistent cloud cover, the whole experience was amazing. The darkness during totality needs to been seen to truly understand the phenomenon. I would have loved to have seen the sun at totality, with planets and stars visible, but that experience will have to for another eclipse (2024 and 2045 are the next two in the United States.)

Thanks,

Rob

KSImager.com

August 16, 2017 Early Morning storms

I woke up around 4 am, and noticed some lightning to the west. After checking radar, I decided to head out to Cheyenne Bottoms. I hoped I had enough time to beat the storms, which I did, but it was close. The following photos follow the storm as it bore down on central Kansas.

4:37 am, looking south at the leading edge

4:43 am, looking west. Stars are still visible above the clouds, but not for long.

4:54 am, looking east. Venus is low on the left, the sliver moon punches through the clouds, and Orion can be seen below the moon and clouds.

4:57 am, looking west. Hoisington shines bright along the horizon. A 13 second exposure created a wave like pattern in the fast moving storm.

5:06 am, the storm builds. All of the lightning was within the clouds.

5:09 am, the rain is coming. It started raining hard just after I took this photo.

There weren’t any visible cloud to ground lightning bolts as the storm approached, but there was plenty of lightning within the clouds.

Thanks for visiting my page.

Rob Graham

Graham Photography

KSIMAGER.com

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