Evening Ha - 26th April 2021

[Stu]

Having had a quick session at lunch today, I managed a longer view this evening after work. The seeing was not very good at all during the day, but had improved a little this evening.

I tried some lower power eye pieces to see how the faired, wondering if the lower power would help. I tried the 24mm Panoptic but that wouldn’t reach focus without a barlow. With a barlow it did focus, but would not give full disk views. The proms were bright, as was the surface detail but the lower power meant there was less detail to see.

I then tried the Leica Zoom, which was better. Just about full disk views throughout the range, and more detail coming through as the power increased.

Then back to the trusty binoviewers. Much higher power, but the detail visible was just so much better. The Multiple AR visible  currently is incredible. So much detail. Bright plage areas and some very dark, fine lines running between and away from the centre of the ARs. These were evolving slowly as I watched over a period of half an hour or so. There was also some shadowy finger like structure coming off one of the ARs, like filaments. I can only assume these were jets of plasma coming off the AR, the sort of thing you see as sharp pointed prominences when seen on the limb.

Finally I watched the large arcing promo on the lower limb evolve over the time I watched, with a section of plasma forming and detaching from the end and then fading away.

I find it a little like watching a clock, you don’t so much see the movement happening as gradually detect the changes over time.

A nice end to the day. I’m loving all this clear sky currently, it feels like astronomy has come alive again! The forum is certainly full of reports and images which is great to see and read.

[niallk]

Great write up @Stu!  We've had a run of blue skies here, and I'm enjoying throwing out my LS50DS, leaving it out all day, and grabbing opportunities for several quick sessions over the course of the day to watch how things evolve.  What a treat to have a nice variety of features on display at the moment - some beautiful detail on offer.  Luv my little Ha scope

[Floater]

5 hours ago, Stu said:

I find it a little like watching a clock, you don’t so much see the movement happening as gradually detect the changes over time.

Stu, that is one of the best descriptions of solar observing I have come across. Thank you.

I will plagiarise it shamelessly! 👍🙂

[Stu]

7 hours ago, Floater said:

I will plagiarise it shamelessly! 👍🙂

Be my guest 😀👍