Astrophotographers Join Forces To Create High-Definition Panorama of Annular Eclipse

Annular Eclipse in Utah by Andrew McCarthy and Dan Stein

Detail

Two talented astrophotographers came together to take a spectacular image of last year's annular eclipse. Andrew McCarthy and Dan Stein worked for months to perfect the image and released it with just one month left until the upcoming total solar eclipse. Titled Ring of the Gods, the 1.69-gigapixel panorama, which can also be viewed in close detail, is a composite of thousands of individual images.

To take the photo, McCarthy and Stein positioned themselves in the Utah desert with a plethora of equipment to ensure that they were able to capture the eclipse hovering over a butte.

“What’s unique about it is it was captured using a combination of white unfiltered light and a hydrogen-alpha telescope,” McCarthy told PetaPixel. “So it’s detailed enough to actually see atmospheric details on the Sun. You can see prominences and spicula in the solar chromosphere when you zoom in.”

While the photoshoot itself was rather straightforward, what happened before and after is a different story. Extensive research went into organizing the location of the shoot so that the annular eclipse would line up perfectly next to the butte. Then, the large amount of data captured made editing quite a challenge, as McCarthy's computer continuously crashed. But after five months of work, the men were able to bring their vision to life.

McCarthy's high-resolution image of the Sun blends perfectly with Stein's landscape for a seamless panorama.

“Dan’s incredible landscape photography expertise next to my experience photographing the Sun in h-alpha gave us the skill set needed to make something unique, unlike any landscape photo I’ve ever seen,” McCarthy shared.

Now, both men are gearing up for April 8, when they'll both surely be out in the field to photograph the total solar eclipse as it passes over North America.

Andrew McCarthy and Dan Stein came together to photograph 2023's annular solar eclipse in the Utah desert.

Annular Eclipse in Utah by Andrew McCarthy and Dan Stein

The 1.69-gigapixel panorama took five months to edit together and is made from thousands of images.

Annular Eclipse in Utah by Andrew McCarthy and Dan Stein

Detail

Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at this stunning piece of astrophotography.

 

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A post shared by Andrew McCarthy (@cosmic_background)

Andrew McCarthy: Website | Instagram | Patreon | TikTok | YouTube
Dan Stein: Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Andrew McCarthy.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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