1851 Julius Berkowski – Solar Eclipse

In 1851, Berkowski captured the eclipse, revealing unprecedented details of the solar corona and marking a milestone in photographic innovation.

Capturing the solar eclipse, Julius Berkowski’s photograph became a cornerstone in the evolution of astronomical photography. This groundbreaking image, utilizing the daguerreotype process, was the first to record a celestial event with such precise clarity. Berkowski’s photograph unveiled the solar corona with unprecedented detail for the first time.

During an eclipse, the moon masks the sun's overwhelming brightness, revealing the faint corona. Traditionally elusive to the naked eye due to its dimness against the sun's brilliance, the corona's intricate structure was finally preserved in Berkowski’s image. The camera, meticulously linked to a heliometer for enhanced precision, allowed for extraordinary control over exposure and focus. This photograph did not merely document an astronomical phenomenon; it demonstrated photography's dual role in art and science, reinforcing photography’s ability to capture and reveal the unseen.

Credit: Johann Julius Friedrich Berkowski, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Author: Johann Julius Friedrich Berkowski
Title: Unknown
Date: 28 July 1851
Archive: Unknown
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Original file: 499 × 474 pixels, file size: 51 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg
Available information: Daguerrotype. First known solar eclipse photograph taken at the Royal Observatory in Königsberg.

Image credit: Johann Julius Friedrich Berkowski, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons