Feb 13, 2015: STUNNING fireworks on the sun in H-alpha

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Got the SolarMax-II 60mm out today, equipped with a B1200 blocking filter and Daystar ERF. The massive filament is still there, now sticking over the edge of the disk as a beautiful "filaprom" of gargantuan proportions. The seeing was so so, but on moment of good seeing the detail was stunning. North of the mother of all filaproms a big prom like a curling wave can be seen with smaller proms further north. Lots of smaller (but still massive) filaments criss-cross the disk. A pair of large sunspots is visible too, along with associated plage area. A small flare seemed to go off during the session. The eastern limb shows a huge, low-surface-brightness prom with a spectacular fan-like structure. Some smaller proms can be seen to the south.

Well worth a visit, and I will try to get the students out for a look as well

[jabeoo1]

I had a peep yesterday and the view was stunning.  The Ha views of the sun over the last 3 days or so (Cloud permitting) have been extraordinary.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just had another peek and the big prom on the north-eastern limb seems to have grown. It looks like a huge flame, consisting of two main strands, one fairly narrow, another broader and longer. I would guess it reaches about a third of the radius of the sun out into space (230,000 km or so ). One of the best proms I have ever seen

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

BTW, that should be 115,000 km. Still big. Spotted it with a lot more difficulty just now. Much lower in the sky, so much less transparency.