Solar and Lunar Eclipses
Eclipse photography planning for all levels, beginner to advanced.
Our apps give you all the information you need to plan perfect eclipse photos. TPE makes it amazingly easy to explore and evaluate potential eclipse locations.
TPE is the ideal eclipse photography planning tool, including eclipse path maps, detailed timings, magnitude, obscuration, and much more. Our advanced solar eclipse simulator even allows you to explore phenomena such as Baily’s Beads and the chromosphere.
In TPE web (and coming soon to iOS), our richly detailed Moon simulator shows you the progress of lunar eclipses in any location, and reflects how your eyes and camera will perceive the major changes in luminosity over the course of the event.
Lunar Eclipse Simulator
A feature of TPE Web’s Moon Simulator, the lunar eclipse simulator shows you a detailed location-specific simulation of the event. Track the interaction of the Moon with Earth’s umbral and penumbral shadow cones from first penumbral contact, through totality, and on to the conclusion of the event.
- See how the photographic appearance of the Moon is affected by eclipse geometry
- Understand key values such as eclipse magnitude and lunar distance
Solar Eclipse Simulator
TPE includes an advanced, incredibly flexible solar eclipse simulator that shows exactly which eclipse phenomena you can expect to see and when they will occur, at any location. This is the ultimate tool for eclipse photography planning, allowing you to fine-tune your location and understand the exact timings of what you’ll be photographing.
- The simulator shows the partial phases, sky darkening, diamond ring, corona, chromosphere, and even an accurate simulation of Baily's Beads
- Explore the effects of the irregular lunar limb on the timing and appearance of solar eclipses using our advanced outline mode. Zoom in to see the predicted Baily's Beads and chromosphere beading in amazing detail
- Play back the eclipse simulation in real time or sped up. Jump directly to the critical moments, such as second and third contact, or use the slider to scrub back and forth on the timeline. The information panel shows you the instantaneous magnitude, obscuration, and time until the next contact.
Contact Times and More
The key contact times for solar and lunar eclipses are shown in the timeline, allowing you to quickly assess the movement of the Sun and Moon across the duration of the eclipse. Quickly determine the direction and altitude needed for your shots, whether you’re shooting wide angle to make a composite photograph of the whole event, or zooming in close with a telephoto lens.
- For lunar eclipses, the timeline shows P1 (start of penumbral), U1 (start of partial), U2 (start of total), U3 (end of total), U4 (end of partial) and P4 (end of penumbral), plus the time of greatest eclipse, when the Moon lies deepest in the Earth's shadow.
- For solar eclipses, we show times of C1 (start of partial eclipse), C2 (start of total/annular eclipse), C3 (end of total/annular eclipse) and C4 (end of partial eclipse), plus the moment of greatest eclipse, when the observer lies deepest in the Moon's shadow.
Solar Eclipse Paths
TPE includes detailed paths for solar eclipses, including the central line, northern and southern limits, and lines of equal magnitude for partial eclipses. Drag and drop the map pin anywhere in the path - all eclipse information is updated automatically, making it a breeze to explore any location of interest.
- For solar eclipses, being in or out of the central path of totality is – almost literally – like night and day! Explore locations in and around the path using our eclipse path overlays
- Partial eclipses can be seen over vast areas - find out the magnitude you can expect in your location by viewing the lines of equal magnitude and the northern and southern limits.