Sun spots.

[supernova]

Help me please.

It is now time for Sun Spots and I thought to day would be a good day.

I set up my PST with a 20mm ep and very clean prom to the left 7 O'clock.

And the sweet spot came in after a lot of playing, so moved on to a 15 mm ep still the same then onto a 12.5 then 6.4. no probs there.

BUT CANT SEE THE Sun spots even with a barlow

I don't know what to do next are they to small or is my PST the wrong tool to see them????????????????????????????????????

:crybaby:

Bernie.

[Milamber]

I'm afraid the Sun is pretty boring at the moment Bernie, no discernible spots. Have a look here to keep an eye on things.

Arthur

[supernova]

NEW SUNSPOT: A "new-cycle" sunspot belonging to Solar Cycle 24 is emerging near the sun's northeastern limb. This is the third time in as many weeks that a new-cycle sunspot has interrupted the year's remarkable run of blank suns. The accelerating pace of new-cycle sunspot production is an encouraging sign that, while solar activity remains very low, the sunspot cycle is unfolding more or less normally. We are not stuck in a permanent solar minimum. Readers with solar telescopes should train them on the sun this weekend to observe sunspot genesis in action.

Am I expecting to much ??

Thanks for the link Arther it is my faves.

[Helen]

I'm about to get my PST out Bernie - I'll let you know if I manage to see anything :sunny:

Helen

[Milamber]

I'l see your "Something happening soon" report and raise you this from Spacew.com:

"No significant geomagnetic or auroral activity is anticipated at this time. The solar cycle remains relatively quiet. Occasional coronal hole disturbance continue to produce slightly elevated levels of activity each month. Otherwise, mostly quiet to unsettled conditions have (and will continue to) prevail.

Solar Activity Update

Generally quiet levels of solar activity are expected through much of the next week. "

Arthur

PS - This is probably the best Solar site to be honest...

[supernova]

Thanks Helen keep me informed eh :hello1:

[supernova]

Sunspot 1005 is a member of new Solar Cycle

This is what I was looking for

[Milamber]

Ah - so now you know where to look then!

[Helen]

OK, just caught 10 minutes while the sun was between houses... The sun was pretty bland, but I did eventually manage to see a small spot and active region (but only after quite a bit of fiddling with the tuning ring).

Bernie, its about halfway between the centre and what would be between 4 and 5 on a clock face. It is quite difficult to spot though, but give it a go! I used a 10mm eyepiece

Good luck!

Helen

[supernova]

Will the PST invert the image like a newt because I could be searching in the wrong bit. ???

With high mag.

[Tiny]

I saw the active region (but no spot) in the same area as Helen this morning. The PST image does seem to be reversed to some photos I have seen but who cares if a spot moves left-right or right left as long as it doesn't go both ways.

[Helen]

My directions Bernie were just looking into the PST with it the normal way up, so you should be able to look in the same place.

Helen

[rusirius]

Bernie, the Solar and Helioscopic Observatory website is my favourite place for keeping an eye on all things Solar. You can find it here:

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/

[lord love rocket]

Sorry to but in here, complete newbie, and thought that you was unable to look through your telescope at the sun, reading this you have somehow overcome this, I take it you need some kind of filter, how does this work, where do you get one, how much etc?

So to take of slightly off topic, but really interested. If a mod wants me to start a new thread on this one just shout no problem.

[rusirius]

lord, you are quite correct that it is dangerous to look through a telescope or binnoculars directly at the Sun. Serious eye damage will result. The Coronado PST though is an instrument designed specifically for viewing the Sun and has a special filter built into it for that purpose. It can't be used for nigthtime viewing. (http://www.coronadofilters.com/products_pst.html)

It is possible to purchase a solar filter for many brands of telescope (e.g. Thousand Oaks or Orion) or one can use Baader solar film (FLO sell some ready made ones: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=AZsolarfilter). You can also view the Sun safely using a telescope by projecting an image of the Sun onto a piece of white card (see http://www.spaceweather.com/sunspots/doityourself.html). All of these methods will allow you to see sunspots, but they will not give you the detailed views that the Coronado and other more expensive dedicated solar scopes will.

[Wobbly Bob]

Hiya Bernie, had a look at the Sun today, saw a tiny teeny little spot, I think . Not much happening Solarwise.