Sun today

[pragmatist]

2 nice prominences on the SE limb between clear spells though, damn cloud.

[Peter Drew]

Cloud here too, at least with the upsurge in Ha telescope sales there is a better chance that someone can report. 

[Peter Drew]

At last some cear patches, the solar "Twin Towers" standing out nicely. 

[pragmatist]

Good way of describing it. Cloud now ridiculous, Met office wrong again for East region.

[allcart]

Intriguing to me, but the twin towers have been visible for about 3 days now and have not rotated onto the viewable disc yet. The other big prom on the east side has rotated out of view yet the west prom stays just out of sight. I wonder what lurks beneath it.

[Umbraldot]

White light observation only today. 8 groups 18 sunspots counted, R 98

Nice new bipolar group over the NE limb

[pragmatist]

Still enjoying the twin prominences, am using a 20mm plossl on the 60mm Lunt but have ordered a Baader 10mm from FLO which should come tomorrow, looking forward to a slightly more detailed view of the proms if that's what it will give.

[trazor]

Still enjoying the twin prominences, am using a 20mm plossl on the 60mm Lunt but have ordered a Baader 10mm from FLO which should come tomorrow, looking forward to a slightly more detailed view of the proms if that's what it will give.

For me, 6 to 8 mm  give the best magnified views, any more and the view dims appreciably.

[Pig]

I managed to get a quick 30 minutes in after work today, the 2 towers were excellent. I wonder how far from the surface they were at their peak   there were also quite a few smaller proms dotted around the outside and some very nice surface detail including 2 very dark spots.

I must say it was great to get to see our closest star again after what seems an age, even thought it has been but a few days

[Byz1453]

No chance here between work and cloud.

However to Shaun's question on solar distances I did find this handy tool on one of my trawls of the internet.

http://thesolarexplorer.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=42

Puts everything into a bit of perspective...

Kieran

[allcart]

Thats a very Handy Ruler. Nice one Kieran.

[pragmatist]

Yep excellent website.

[Pig]

Kieren, great answer

The twin towers were pretty large then  I would say around 100,000Km mark    especially so considering the sun is nowhere near the size of that shown in the picture, when viewed through my scope.

[Byz1453]

Glad it was useful, went looking for it when I showed my wife the view for the first time.

She was blown away, a first for one of my foibles. When she looked a prom she said "So would that be as high as a mountain?" I tried my best to explain the distances involved, she only really got it when compared it to the size of the Earth...

I have the same affect on her when I secretly base our holidays on the local geology and then try to explain the timescales and processes involved. Why she puts up with me I will never know....

K