Spectacular Sol 1/2/14

[Moonshane]

Just spent half an hour observing and about five minutes sketching the sunspots and it's superb today. The large group in the sketch is easily visible with direct vision by naked eye (obviously with a baader film filter).

If you get a chance to look then do so, it's well worth it.

The detail here is only limited by my general lack or artistic skills and accuracy.

I was using my 6" f11 newtonian with a 32mm TV plossl (50x) along with Baader film and solar continuum filter. I have not yest mastered how to represent the fasculae also visible.

[stevil]

Nice sketch, I'm a bit disappointed that I have not seen the sun for around a week <br />

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[Moonshane]

cheers

I am no artist but find the skills required for astronomy by just adding dots and smudges. thankfully that's pretty much all we see    I mainly use sketches to confirm what I think I see not for any real aesthetic benefit although they do make my notes a bit more readable!

[kerrylewis]

Nice sketch. Ive just had a look myself and it is a very interesting complex of sunspots.

[Bobby1970]

Had a look this morning myself with my solar filter i made for my 102mm refractor. Got a few pics too. :-)

[mjpfc]

I have been waiting for the sun to clear the buildings to the South.

The first thing I was able to point at it was the PST, and when I saw a lot of dark spots around one area in Ha a new

sumething was afoot.

I have just had the 8" onto it, and this sunspot group is gigantic, so much for the quiet Maximum.

You could get quite a few rocky planets into that central huge complex umbra, and there are quite a few dotted about

the group that would be impressive on their own.

If we do not get some solar flux our way out of this then I'll eat my.......On second thoughts no I won't, if the clouds clear I'll need it for tonight

it's pretty chilly out there.

Prominences seen in Ha linked up with quite a enstensive areas of Faculae at each limb too, the bottom right having another descent sized

umbra embedded in it.

I drew my circle too small so the drawing I made at the telescope looks like one great blob - currently waiting for a bunch of Cumulus to clear

so I can try again. I would take a " through the lens" photo but my little camera has packed in (dropped it once too often).

Clear skies,  mick

[Stu]

Nice sketch Shane. I really must put my Christmas pencils and pad to good use soon!

Managed a late afternoon half hour on the sun just now before it got too low. A bit of cloud dodging required, but lovely views none the less in both Ha and white light (PST with 11mm Plossl and TV76 with HW and 12.5mm Hutech).

That AR is huge isn't it? So much detail to be seen, and lovely granulation visible too, surprising given the low altitude at 3pm when I started.

Some lovely fine filaments showing up around the AR in Ha too, very nice.

Stu

[Luke]

Nice Sketch, Shane   Those two regions looked great together today through the eyepiece.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great sketch. Cloudy here most of the day, but the forecast for tomorrow is good, so maybe I can have  look tomorrow