AR2781

[Davey-T]

Looking good this morning, seeing pretty good here, just waiting for it to pass meridian to do some imaging.

Dave

[astro_al]

Hope it holds for you.

I grabbed half an hour or so earlier visually, white light and Ha. I was able to test the new rotator for the front filter on the LS60DS which I think has helped me get a more even illumination in DS mode, or at least less of a linear area than in its original position. Seemed like more of the disk was on band. Could see a prom and a lot of detail around the main sunspot group. Looked like a smaller, secondary area further north.

The rotator also makes it easy to switch to single stack mode which was nice. Prom was clearer and brighter and I could see spicules on the limb like I could with the Quark, although at a lower magnification. All in all an interesting session. I need to find somewhere I can take the scopes in the afternoons though as the view from my garden is pretty obstructed this time of year. Not sure if that would count as daily lockdown exercise though.

[Floater]

Yes, it’s a cracker! Clouded over now but I, too, got WL and Ha earlier this morning. The ‘secondary area farther north’ is AR2780 but I only saw the plage in Ha and didn’t pick it up at all in WL - only found out about it when checking GONG. AR2781 is spectacular, though, and even a dusting of hazy cloud was acceptable as it provided a filtering effect in WL. 😎

All in all, very pleased I got out earlier. Opportunities have been few recently. 😀👍

[Davey-T]

54 minutes ago, astro_al said:

I need to find somewhere I can take the scopes in the afternoons though as the view from my garden is pretty obstructed this time of year. Not sure if that would count as daily lockdown exercise though.

Got the same problem here, imaging window is gradually shrinking then have about 5 weeks with no view from garden.

Dave

[Luke]

Seeing was pretty good our way, despite thin cloud. It's the first time I have observed the sun in, I would guess, at least two years!

I checked Gong the other day and saw that nice group of spots and it was lovely to see them at the eyepiece today!

I could see some bright spots of activity in h-alpha in the active regions and a little prom, though there was quite a lot of glow in the eyepiece. But I thought the view in white light was stunning, with a Lunt 1.25" wedge and 85mm scope.

It took me ages to get set up. First I couldn't find my giro mount. Then I finally remembered it was under the same cover as our HEQ5 mount! Then trying to remember what eyepieces, filters I use, etc!

Edited November 7, 2020 by Luke

[Davey-T]

10 minutes ago, Luke said:

Seeing was pretty good our way, despite thin cloud. It's the first time I have observed the sun in, I would guess, at least two years!

Hi Luke good to see you back, first decent AR for a few years so worth dragging the kit out of retirement. I forget how to set up after a few weeks.
Similar conditions here.

Dave

[Ibbo!]

This is what we have had the last 2 days .

There will be sunspots there but I can't quite make them out.

[Luke]

19 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Hi Luke good to see you back, first decent AR for a few years so worth dragging the kit out of retirement. I forget how to set up after a few weeks.
Similar conditions here.

Dave

Thanks Dave, it's good to be back! I've barely done any astronomy for a couple of years now. I am hoping to get back into things. It would help if the sun is starting to pick up (I hope I haven't jixed us now!!!)

Yikes Steve, I hope you get some clear soon!

Edited November 7, 2020 by Luke

[Peter Drew]

57 minutes ago, Ibbo! said:

This is what we have had the last 2 days .

There will be sunspots there but I can't quite make them out.

Grave situation!    🙂

[Peter Drew]

Dense fog all day here so far.     ☹️

[PeterW]

Lots of citrus, hot up a bit late. But lots of detail in the active region with 80mm and binoviewing, switched to hydrogen alpha, nice, but not quite as detailed.

good to have sunspots back!

Peter

[Davey-T]

Still looking pretty good here between the clouds also nice daylight Moon.

Dave

[Alan White]

Yep, AR2781 is now spread over a larger area,
another region was noted on the limb (West) and some other activity above that as well.
Clouding out again now though grrrr!

A nice way to spend my lunch break though.

[Alan White]

My poor sketch from earlier of AR2781 and other areas of interest.
Observed at 64x with my Vixen Refractor in White Light.

 

ThThe The marks that look gloss have picked up the camera flash.