Azhy Hasan

Report

After long time of waiting and preparations, we as (Kurdistan Astronomical Organization) leaved center of Erbil city and climbed up to the top of mount Kosar, nearby 70 km east of Erbil, and about 935 meters above the sea level, right in front of Koya city.

At first time we found a very nice location inside (Kosar Resort), but unfortunately, wind was blowing strongly at that location, then we decided to change it and finally we found a quite location behind a hill and away from active winds.

Although we made an alternative piece of solar filter, but unfortunately it not worked, and we lost any hope to using our main MEADE LX 200 telescope to the let people watching the (Transit of Mercury) without using cameras.

The process was fully succeeded with a CELESTRON 80mm ED mounted to Canon 700D DSLR camera with a regular Solar Filter, and we start taking wonderful photos from the telescope and camera from 03:35:35 PM, when Mercury touched the limb of the Sun.

At 04:10 PM I was preparing myself to (Dropping!) the filter and working without it, while the Sun was close to setting, and my idea was take some direct shots of the setting Sun with Mercury near horizon, but unfortunately, some patches of high level clouds appeared wright at that direction and we lost the clear shot of the (Setting Sun and Mercury)!

Anyway, (KAO) made a good job and we record another astronomical event by our simple equipment to whole Kurdistan region and Iraqi people in these hard days.

Hope to see Mercury again in 2032.

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