Several seconds before onset of totality, the glass solar filter is removed from the front of the telescope to photograph the first diamond ring effect. This is when a small amount of uncovered sun remains on one side of the moon, while the sky has become dark enough for the inner corona to shine around the rest of the moon’s edge. This creates the illusion of a brilliant diamond ring in the sky. Photographing this and Baily’s beads requires careful and precise timing; removing the solar filter too soon risks melting the telescope and camera with intense sunlight, but removing it too late can result in completely missing these brief events.

Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Telescope/mount: Celestron Super C8+ with Celestron f/6.3 focal reducer/corrector.

Camera: Canon EOS mirrorless R8. 1/2000 second exposure at ISO 100.