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Transit report

employee2-4601

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employee2-4601

employee2-4601

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Popped into town briefly this morning for a bit of shopping (and a bacon roll in one of the cafes - a good start, I think). Driving back I could not believe how bright and clear the day was, although the convoy of tractors and caravans I got stuck behind seemed placed there especially for my benefit considering I wanted to be home well before the transit started.

I got home at about 11.00am in order to make sure the scope was aligned and also to test out a few filters that I'd pinched from my dad for the occasion. The three I found the most useful were the W58A, W21 and W25, especially as there was an interesting collection of sunspots that were enhanced by these filters. The sky was crystal clear, although there was a slight haziness to begin with. I could not have asked for a better day's weather.

Just after midday I saw Mercury at the very edge of the solar disk. As described in Sky At Night and Astronomy Now magazines, it was a very small black speck. However, with a W21 filter and a 9mm EP it was so clear against the sun that you'd be hard-pressed to miss it. Having spent far more time observing at night, I had forgotten how ambient light can affect the view through an EP. My solution was to drape one of my black work shirts over my head and the EP - problem solved!

Scope 1.JPG

As the day wore on, the view became much clearer owing to the sun being higher in the sky and there being less atmosphere to look through. I had a brief stop for lunch and looked around the landscape. Seeing the hills and fields bathed in sunlight under a clear blue sky, it was one of those days that it's just impossible to feel miserable on. In fact, it's days like these that make you feel good to be alive. Unfortunately, the wind started to pick up at mid-afternoon and I did my best to hold the scope steady. The motor-drive I had retro-fitted proved useless for tracking, despite my having taken great pains to get the alignment as accurate as possible.

As the planet moved across the sun's disk, the contrast between it and the surface of the sun was increased. The group of sunspots I had also observed were changing slowly. Initially they had appeared to be two large spots close together - binary sunspots, if you will. As the day progressed, they resolved into a pair of clusters of small spots making two sickle-shaped areas on the sun's surface. There were a number of much smaller 'satellite' spots around them. With a W58A filter it was easy to make out the penumbrae around the spots. Unfortunately I lacked the ability to film the transit. I would have liked to have seen the spots as they changed during the day - the photos that I took are very low in detail as my camera is only a basic point and shoot model.Mercury 1.jpgMercury 2.jpgMercury 5.JPG

Having spent the day observing and imaging the transit, I decided that it was time to pack up. The wind was getting much stronger and I was starting to feel a slight stinging sensation along my left arm. Yes folks, I got sunburnt!

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Stu

Stu

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3 minutes ago, employee2-4601 said:

Popped into town briefly this morning for a bit of shopping (and a bacon roll in one of the cafes - a good start, I think). Driving back I could not believe how bright and clear the day was, although the convoy of tractors and caravans I got stuck behind seemed placed there especially for my benefit considering I wanted to be home well before the transit started.

I got home at about 11.00am in order to make sure the scope was aligned and also to test out a few filters that I'd pinched from my dad for the occasion. The three I found the most useful were the W58A, W21 and W25, especially as there was an interesting collection of sunspots that were enhanced by these filters. The sky was crystal clear, although there was a slight haziness to begin with. I could not have asked for a better day's weather.

Just after midday I saw Mercury at the very edge of the solar disk. As described in Sky At Night and Astronomy Now magazines, it was a very small black speck. However, with a W21 filter and a 9mm EP it was so clear against the sun that you'd be hard-pressed to miss it. Having spent far more time observing at night, I had forgotten how ambient light can affect the view through an EP. My solution was to drape one of my black work shirts over my head and the EP - problem solved!

Scope 1.JPG

As the day wore on, the view became much clearer owing to the sun being higher in the sky and there being less atmosphere to look through. I had a brief stop for lunch and looked around the landscape. Seeing the hills and fields bathed in sunlight under a clear blue sky, it was one of those days that it's just impossible to feel miserable on. In fact, it's days like these that make you feel good to be alive. Unfortunately, the wind started to pick up at mid-afternoon and I did my best to hold the scope steady. The motor-drive I had retro-fitted proved useless for tracking, despite my having taken great pains to get the alignment as accurate as possible.

As the planet moved across the sun's disk, the contrast between it and the surface of the sun was increased. The group of sunspots I had also observed were changing slowly. Initially they had appeared to be two large spots close together - binary sunspots, if you will. As the day progressed, they resolved into a pair of clusters of small spots making two sickle-shaped areas on the sun's surface. There were a number of much smaller 'satellite' spots around them. With a W58A filter it was easy to make out the penumbrae around the spots. Unfortunately I lacked the ability to film the transit. I would have liked to have seen the spots as they changed during the day - the photos that I took are very low in detail as my camera is only a basic point and shoot model.Mercury 1.jpgMercury 2.jpgMercury 5.JPG

Having spent the day observing and imaging the transit, I decided that it was time to pack up. The wind was getting much stronger and I was starting to feel a slight stinging sensation along my left arm. Yes folks, I got sunburnt!

Very nice report, glad you got to see it, and some excellent pictures. ??

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