Photometric Analysis of the Solar Corona on 1984 November 22/23

The total solar eclipse of 1984 November 22/23 was observed from a French naval vessel off Noumea (New Caledonia) in the Coral Sea. The observations were made by a team from the S.A.F., led by Serge Koutchmy and Christian Nitschelm of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris. The duration of the eclipse was considerably longer off New Caledonia (1 m 39 s) than in Papua-New-Guinea (55 s). However, the observational site – on board a ship well out to sea – greatly restricted the use of long-focal-length instruments that are normally employed. The equipment used to photograph this eclipse therefore was chosen with motion (pitching, rolling, etc.) of the support in mind. Short focal lengths were preferred, although one refractor with a focal length of 1.5 m was used as a trial.