Rusted

Good report CB. Just to reinforce my earlier point: The polarising filter is a "must have" with the Lacerta and provides instant [and fully adjustable] comfort. EDIT: I have added an old picture to show the scale compared to a 2" star diagonal. The Lacerta is a sturdy lump of solid metal. The image doesn't seem to show up.

Here is a handy link to ensure the correct orientation. Solar activity

I don't think you should take full responsibility for the windy weather. It has been like this for some time. Though the need for a blanket seems a bit drastic.

Excellent images. I was tempted to have ago but it is blowing a gale. High hopes for that group on the NE limb. AR3030.

The 2" Baader 35nm H-a filter is recommended as a second line, internal D-ERF. I use one with my Baader full aperture D-ERF on my 150/10 PST mod to protect the camera. The Baader external D-ERF still passes a lot of heat at this aperture. Instant smoke on black foam at focus! I also have a Beloptik KG3 stacked with the 35nm. Both filters are well inside the focuser on 2" extension tubes. The idea here being that they are not subjected to tightly focused heat and will protect the following elements. With these two filters present there is no discernible heat at focus. Tested with the bare skin of my hand.

Thanks.

The major problem is wind loading. Here are some of mine. Collected in a desperate attempt to watch UK TV from Denmark. They kept shrinking the footprint.

I should have started earlier. It is getting windy. With large plates of cloud crossing.

Judging from the latest and widely published images, JWST just needs an imaging algorithm to "cure" the diffraction spikes.

Thanks. Here's a later, cropped image as I hope for improved seeing. It shows the various light bridges more clearly. Still thin, high cloud here.

Very nice image!

Back in the hot seat. Except the SW wind is making it cold in the dome. Lots of flaring with Interesting light arch over the umbra on the western AR. Swapped to the 2.6x GPC for more scale. The seeing won't allow a 2x Barlow.

Thank you for all the nice comments.

Back for an afternoon imaging session.

A slight tilt somewhere might help relieve the Newton's Rings. Some cameras are more prone to NR than others. Some filter systems are more prone to it in H-a. Monochromatic light and the camera's protective sensor cover will do it sometimes. Uneven lighting and patchy detail are due to the so-called etalon sweet spot with larger apertures. I rotate [clock] and mark my Blocking Filter housing relative to the PST etalon. Rotate your BF and aim for darkest, most even and detailed image. Electrical tape, on one edge of the BF, is aligned with the bit of tape stuck on the etalon housing. I find it helps. If your PST mod is still in its original form then you may not be able to play with rotation. My 150mm PST Mod uses the popular AOK Swiss PST Etalon Housings. One front and one back.

Drilling holes for lightness? You must be a cyclist.

Thank you for your kind message. I only intended to explain my absence. Imaging helps to fill the empty hours. Far better than sitting about moping.

I am getting back into imaging after suddenly losing my wife to cancer. The seeing was poor today but I captured AR2993/4 near the NE limb. The inverted image shows amazing detail compared to the normal image.

I built a 7" f/12 folded refractor using 5" and 4" flats. Do NOT undersize the folding flats. Do NOT try to make the folding angles too acute. Both will lead to serious problems with stray light. A narrow, folded refractor is EXTREMELY difficult to baffle effectively. Draw your full aperture light cone on lining paper and cut it out. Now fold the paper cone where you want your flats to lie. Allow a generous field diameter at focus.

Er.. was this taken at the equator?

Wise words indeed. The cost in time and materials for DIY plywood domes is terrifying.

Nice! An excellent idea to coat it in GRP. My marine plywood dome leaked like a sieve after only a couple of years. Too expensive and inaccessible for coating it once in place. The colour is an interesting choice and suits the environment perfectly. Visually far better than white. The only downside is likely to be daytime warmth, in summer sunshine, if you do any solar. Side note: The long shanks padlock is wide open to crowbar attack. Discus? Side note 2: Coach bolts on the door hinges will avoid easily removable wood screws. Your back garden may be inaccessible to 2-legged vermin.

ImPPG is indeed free and very popular with solar imagers.

Stuart, Great minds think alike! I'd say you are nicely on band for H-alpha. Nice wide spread of detail too. You just need a bit of processing in ImPPG to get more detail and contrast: The images was slightly sharpened before I processed it. So I've made it too dark and grainy. This wouldn't happen going direct from AS!3 to ImPPG yourself.

If you use an app like this: Solar activity you can arrange your wonderfully crisp spots in the correct orientation. I know, I know. I'm such a pedant! Just passing it on. 😇