paulastro

Observed from 4.20 to 5.20pm. I wanted to see AR3007, an interesting AR with numerous small umbral spots. I like this sort of group as they can change quickly and sometimes develop into bigger ARs. Now I've said this it will probably fizzle out fairly quickly 😊. It's the unpredictability of sunspot groups which I find so fascinating. There are actually three other ARs, but one of them diesnt appear to have been allocated a number. It's N of AR3006. Single frame below taken at 5.11pm, Tecnosky 1O2ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/400 at 200asa. Alas the seeing changed quite rapidly which doesn't help it.

Fabulous images, really nicely done.

Well Stu, only two years late, but I just came across this post. 🙂. Excellently written and very informative, I've bookmarked it for future reference! I've been thinking of buying the Baader ceramic wedge for a while, and your article has probably edged me a bit nearer. Just a ouple of things. Presumably your continuum filter goes onto your camera adapter and then into your wedge? Also, is it worthwhile buying the photographic versions - are the extra ND filters actually very useful? Thanks again for the post Stu, even if it does mean some extra expenditure 😊.

Thank you John.

Many thanks for that Stu. I never thought of that, it seems obvious now you've explained it! 🙂.

Welcome back to the brighter side of Astronomy 😊.

That's interesting. I've never used a Seymour filter so I've no idea what they are like. Can you tell me in what way the continuum filter ruined the image with the TV85?

Thank you Malcolm, that's kind of you.

Alan, I was rushing to set up the 102ED and Olympus last night to catch the nearly full quarter Moon, the camera was on and I couldn't see the Moon in the frame when the finder indicated it should be there. I panicked for nearly 5 mts - until I realised I had left the lens cap on the telescope! 🙄

I was out from 8.45 to 10.15, with very good seeing toward the end of the session. There were many highlights, with so many fine features on view it was difficult to know what to concentrate on. The three cater trios of Ptolemaeus/Alphonsus/Arzachel and Purbach/Regiomontamus/Walther right on the terminator were perhaps particularly impressive. To the S of Walther the W edges of Orontius and Huggins were illuminated, looking like two large letter 'C' shapes looming out of the darkness. Single frame and crops with the Tecnosky 1O2ED F7 and Olympus taken at 9.00 pm, 1/200 at 200 asa.

There was fine detail oo the terminator, particularly from Maurolycus to Treisnecker. In the N, the area around Aristtoteles, Eudoxus and the Caucasus Mtns also showed fine detail. The single frame and crop below doesn't really do it justice, the detail in the 102ED was stunning when the seeing cooperated. Single frame with Tecnosky 1O2ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 9.54pm.

Thank you Alan. I've always been 'an early bird' . Also, it's surpising how many clear slots there are at dawn and a few minutes after, even when the forecasts indicate otherwise. This is particularly useful for us solar observers 😊.

Cpeae skies at dawn. Single frame and crop with Tecnosky 102ED F7 and Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 7.36 am, 1/400 at 200 asa.

A good report of your observations chaz. Re the granulation. I use a Baader Solar Continuum Filter with my 100ED Tecnosky for taking pics and visual, I can't remember a time I haven't seen granulation across the disc using it, and it also improves the views of sunspots and faculae. I use a Baader film filter at the front end, butI would have thought it would be the same with your Seymour filter.

First half decent Moon for a while. Hercules and Atlas well placed near the terminator, good detail from the S cusp to Janssen and beyond. Single frame and crop taken at 9.16 pm, Altair 80 ED-R, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, Teegul Mount (just for mikeDnight 😊), 1/124 at 200 asa.

Out early this morning, rather hazy but managed some reasonable views. AR3004 continues being very active in HA and WL. As spaceweather.com put it, see below, it's a 'sizzler'. Shows well in my PST. Single frame below, with crop, taken at 7.33am, Tecnosky 102ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/160 at 200 asa.

Amazing to think this AR developed from nothing in a couple of days. The AR coming on at the SE limb has not yet been designated a number. A single frame taken at 3.22 pm, Tecnosky 102ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/320 at 400 asa.

This is the Takahashi Teegul TG - L which recently came to me from mikeDnight. There is (or was) an Astro-Tech Voyager 'clone' of it. I'd be surprised if it was made to the same spec as the Teegul - if it is, it would make a very good buy on the used market. It is very sturdy with smooth slow motion knobs, and comfortably accommodates my TS 6inch F6 reflector. The scope in the pIc is my Tecnosky 102ED F7, the more recent Starfield version being one of several versions of this scope.

Very well done Steve. I'm very envious you managed to obtain an image yesterday. Due to complete cloud cover, it interupted a continuous run I started on April 17th. I am pleased you managed to grab it, at least I know what I missed 😄.

These two ARs have done us proud since they first came into view on April 16th. I managed to obtain pics from April 17th to April 27th, clouded out yesterday alas, and then managed a pic today. Only just in time to catch the final remnents of AR2993/94 disappearing at the W limb. Also,the single frame below shows AR2995, 2997, and 2999 to 3001. Taken at 7.23 am, Tecnosky 102ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/125 at 200asa.

Yes it is Pete. Its just a shame that at least two or three of them are rather inconspicuous. Of course, the way the SN is derived, one mega spot in the middle of the disc would score far less than what is on show today. Then again, the SN is a measure of activity rather than visual splendour. 😊.

I had a lucky window of opportunity from 6.40 am (when the sun rose above my local horizon) until 7.25 am when it clouded over completely. I was pleased as it enabled me to continue my daily sequence of solar images since the first one on April 17th. There are now eight ARs with spots on view, though two of them take some spotting on my image. The SN is up by 32 from yesterday to 126 today. As far as I can recall, this must be pretty close, if not above, to the maximum number it has been this solar cycle. (?) The single frame and crop below was taken at 7.00 am with the Tecnosky 102ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/160 at 200asa.

The weather forecast this morning for my location indicated 100% cloud cover (AccuWeather), and no sun all day apart from S of London, parts of the E coast and parts of the Midlands (Met). Awoke this morning to 100 cloud which gave way to a mackerel sky in the E and by 7.45 the sun peeped through and its been 50% sunshine ever since. Good job I don't take any notice of it. Rant over 😊. In addition to the five AAs already designated a number, spaceweather indicated a new one arriving on the limb SSE of AR299. There looks to be a second smaller one on the limb E of AR2999. You will need to view the whole sun frame below at 100% to be able to see them. Single frame taken and crop taken at 9.19 am, Tecnosky 102ED F7, Olympus E-M5 Mk11, 1/320 at 200 asa.

I had to wait a while for some clear periods, my tenth day in a row for an observation and image so I didn't want to miss out 😊. Single frame taken at 2.18 pm, Tecnosky 102ED and Olympus camera, 1/400 at 200 asa.

I had to wait a while for some clear periods, my tenth day in a row for an observation and image so I didn't want to miss out 😊. Single frame taken at 2.18 pm, Tecnosky 102ED and Olympus camera, 1/400 at 200 asa.