The Sun 2 October 2011 white light

[Bizibilder]

Today's pics - there was quite a bit of haze about so, even with avi's of 4mins (2400frames), the detail is just not there!

[malc-c]

Nice detail and images. What software do you use to overlay the grid etc?

Here's my effort

[Bizibilder]

Thanks for your comments - I use "Tilting Sun" to create the grid (its freeware) Atmospheric Optics and then copy it into PS and select the grid only, copy and paste over the image. You have to set the image diameter to be the same as the grid you produce (600Px is about the max on my screen).

[lukebl]

Thanks for your comments - I use "Tilting Sun" to create the grid (its freeware) Atmospheric Optics and then copy it into PS and select the grid only, copy and paste over the image. You have to set the image diameter to be the same as the grid you produce (600Px is about the max on my screen).

I was interested in this too. How do you know where to orientate the poles, though?

Lovely images as always, by the way!

[Bizibilder]

The trick of alignment is the first step in setting up the camera. Using live view to see what's going on you set the camera orientation so that the Sun travels perfectly across the FOV. I use Al's reticule (freeware and on the S&N disc recently) - put a convenient sunspot on one of the crosshairs and, using fast slew in RA, move the Sun across the fov. The spot must stay exactly on the crosshair. You will need to adjust (rotate) the camera until this is done. I always run the Sun's image back and forward to check my final alignment. Then take your pictures (having put the Sun back in the middle of the fov).

To create the final image I make a stack of (usually 64 or 100 JPEGS) single frames and save it as a bitmap from Registax. Then use PS to crop it to a squre image, centered on the Sun. Use the ruler tool to measure the Sun's diameter in pixels and reduce the image size (Image > size - and enter the percentage reduction, mine is usually about 38%) by whatever percentage I need to end up with the Sun 600Px diameter. Create a new blank image (I use 1024Px square).

Open Tilting Sun, set the date and time and it will create a grid for you with the correct orientation - set it up to make the grid 600Px diameter. Copy and paste this into your "new" image in PS.

Crop all the junk off this image (you'll see what i mean!) and then use the magic wand tool to select a WHITE part of the grid ie select "space" and NOT a "gridline"!! Goto Select > Inverse and PS will change the selection for you to the grid and not the white background - that's the clever bit done. Ctrl C to copy and then over to the Sun image and Ctrl V to paste. Use the move tool to put the grid precisely in place. Flatten the image. Job done.

Hope this helps - took far longer to type than to do!!

PS If there are no sunspots then run the top edge of the Sun along the crosshair.

PPS Maybe I should expand this with a bit more detail so it becomes a proper tutorial - There are far too many Solar images that are poorly (or just not) aligned properly on this and other forums. Please don't take this as a complaint - it's just that it is so easy to get right if you know how!

[lukebl]

Cool technique.

...PS If there are no sunspots then run the top edge of the Sun along the crosshair.

Of course, if there weren't any sunspots I probably wouldn't bother in the first place! Although I appreciate that it's important for a complete record.

[Bizibilder]

What.........And get the granulation the wrong way up!!! Tut Tut!!

[lukebl]

What.........And get the granulation the wrong way up!!! Tut Tut!!

What I mean is, I probably wouldn't bother imaging the sun at all if there weren't any sunspots on show!

[markt]

Excellent overview again!