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Solar granulation setup?


tico

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Hello
I would like to know what diameter a refractor must have to be able to observe the solar granulation well, with a solar wedge?

I have observed with a 3 "and 4" refractor and full aperture filter, and an 8 "SCT and I have never never been able to observe this granulation ...

Thanks.Tico.
 
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I use a Lunt Herschel wedge and a Baader solar continuum filter. I have seen the granulation in a ST 102  and in a ED 120 frac. One morning when the seeing was excellent I managed to view it with an ED 72 frac. I usually have to use magnifications between 150 to 180 x. It is easier to see near the centre of the disk, but it takes practice and patience. Sometimes when the seeing is not good you can notice it popping in and out of view during moments of steadier skys. I have found it easier to observe in the early mornings, say before 10 am in the summer, before the day heats up.

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John it is a bit of both. The better the seeing the more likely you are to see the granulation no matter the size of the scope. The granules are only 1 to 2 arc seconds in diameter as seen from Earth , so quite high magnification is required as well. A bit like separating tight double stars in that the larger apertures will also give better resolution and make it a bit easier, but I have seen them using an ED 72 frac.

5 hours ago, John said:

Is this seeing related rather than aperture related ?

I'm not a frequent solar observer so I'm interested in the answer to this as well.

 

 

Edited by laudropb
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I think it also depends how active the Sun is.

So far to date, I have not seen any with my TV Ranger and Lunt Herschel Wedge. Granulation was visible with afore-
mentioned 'scope and Thousand Oaks glass solar filter when the Sun was active during the last solar-maximum epoch.

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40 minutes ago, Philip R said:

I think it also depends how active the Sun is.

So far to date, I have not seen any with my TV Ranger and Lunt Herschel Wedge. Granulation was visible with afore-
mentioned 'scope and Thousand Oaks glass solar filter when the Sun was active during the last solar-maximum epoch.

Not sure about that. The granulation cells are at the top of the convection mechanism which carries heat from the lower regions to the photosphere where it is radiated out into space. This mechanism is continuous and as far as I am aware not affected by the solar cycle.

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